A Reunion
by Gabbage20
Summary: Marissa Cooper falls ill. And since she is the stepdaughter of a millionaire, who could treat her better than the famous Gregory House? And once a certain ex-girlfriend of Marissa’s gets involved – life is bound to get interesting. Malex. House MD / O.C
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** Marissa Cooper's life has always been interesting. Her high school years were filled with drama, the year after that was spent sailing around the world and then she got to enjoy some fabulous family time with Julie, Kaitlin and her stepdad Bullit, while she attended the best college money could offer. Years later her life is about to get even more interesting. After all, who else could treat the illness of the stepdaughter of a millionaire other than the famous Gregory House? And if a certain ex-girlfriend of Marissa's gets involved – life is bound to get a tad bit complicated.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any characters from the O.C nor House MD.  
**  
Chapter 1**

"Jeez, mom, pop a pill or something, I'm fine," Marissa Cooper rolled her eyes, as she plopped down behind the kitchen counter. "It's just a headache."

Julie Cooper raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? Because Betty and I just discussed how many people die…"

"Mom!" Marissa interrupted, as she poured herself a glass of water, "Nobody's dying. I'm just a little…" she drowned the glass of water quickly. "Thirsty."

"Anyways, I have plans with Summer for tonight and I was wondering…" She stood up and suddenly grabbed hold of the kitchen counter.

"Woah," she blinked a few times. "Mom, maybe you should…"

"Marissa?"

"I can't…"

Marissa's legs wobbled slightly and she collapsed to the floor a moment later, instantly losing consciousness.

"Oh my god! Marissa! Marissa!?!" Julie screamed, hurrying to her side. Then as the maid entered, she yelled at her. "Call 911! NOW!"  
**  
XxXxXxXxXx  
**  
"I don't know. One moment she was perfectly fine and then she was on the floor out cold!"

Marissa opened her eyes slightly, hearing the familiar voice. There were four people in the room, not counting herself. Her mom, Kaitlin and two doctors. Woah hold on, where was she?

"Hey, you're awake," Kaitlin spoke from the chair next to her bed, being the only one not involved in a discussion happening near the door.

"Yeah. Where am I?" Disoriented, Marissa looked around.

"A hospital, dork," her sister answered, rolling her eyes. "Mom almost had a heart attack because of you. So, since you fainted, she had to rush you into a hospital and call everybody we know, telling them you're either dying or pregnant."

"What?!"

Heads turned, as the conversation between Julie and the two doctors stopped. Instantly, Julie hurried to Marissa's side, looking anxious.

"Oh, honey, you're awake!" She exclaimed. "I was so worried. You were unconscious so long."

"An hour and twelve minutes," Kaitlin muttered, rolling her eyes. Marissa grinned weakly at her sister, before turning towards her mother.

"Mom, please tell me you didn't make a big deal out of this? Please?"

"Of course not, sweetheart," Julie smiled. "I only called Bullit and you know, Summer of course, since she's your best friend and all."

The brunette in the hospital bed pursed her lips. "What did you tell her?"

"Nothing much. Just that you collapsed suddenly and that the ambulance took you away."

"Oh great. Now she'll be here with everybody we know. Awesome, mom."

One of the doctors in the room cleared his throat.

"Miss Cooper?" He asked. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Um, yeah. I'm fine."

"Are you feeling dizzy? Is your head aching? Anything out of the ordinary?"

The other doctor suddenly pulled a pen out of her pocket. "Follow this with your eyes, please."

She did, while answering Doctor number 1's questions.

"No dizziness or headaches. I'm fine."

Meanwhile Dr. 2 had stopped moving the pen and was now tapping a small hammer-like thingy against her arm. At the same time, Dr. 1 kept asking questions.

"Any nausea or vomiting before the collapse?"

"Nope."

The Doctor, who was still tapping, looked at her and asked,

"Any history of sciatica or spinal injury?"

"Uhm. No," Marissa answered.

Dr.2 then looked at Dr.1 and spoke,

"Abnormal deep tendon reflexes."

"Abnormal?" Julie instantly reacted. "What? Is everything alright?"

"Hah, sis," Kaitlin spoke jokingly, though she seemed slightly worried as well. "I've always told you you were abnormal."

Marissa nudged her sister half-heartedly, before looking at the doctors again. Dr.1 had taken the hammer and was now checking Marissa's reflexes, while calming down her mom, who had of course panicked as soon as the word abnormal left Dr.2's mouth.

"We're gonna give you an MRI to be sure, but I'm guessing your symptoms were caused by just dehydration and the heat," Dr. 1 spoke, after making sure Marissa's reflexes worked normally.

"See," Marissa looked at her mother. "I'm not dying or anything. You can calm down now."

"I'm sorry, I just… I don't want anything to happen to you. Again," Julie quietly spoke. "So can I get you anything? Water? Snacks…" She looked at the doctors. "She can have snacks right?"

"Yes," Dr.1 answered, smiling slightly. Marissa decided she like Dr.1 way more than Dr.2, who was frowning at her, looking dubious about something. "I'm sure she'll be okay in no time."

"Good," Julie sighed. "So do you want anything? Anything at all?"

"I could use a Mars bar right about now?" Marissa offered. Julie grinned at her.

"Of course. Kaitlin, go!"

"Wha…?" Kaitlin looked up from the magazine she had just opened. "Why me?"

"Go!"

Kaitlin groaned, but left the room anyways. One of the doctors left as well, while the other one lingered behind for a few moments. He smiled at Marissa and was about to leave, when she asked,

"What's your name anyways?"

The man blinked, then sheepishly smiled. "Oh, right. I'm Doctor Eric Foreman."

"Nice to meet you, Dr. Foreman," Marissa spoke. Dr.1 had a name now. Good for him.

"You too," Foreman answered, before leaving.

Marissa looked at her mother and asked,

"Can you call Summer now and tell her not to come here?"

"I think it's too late for that," Kaitlin was standing in the doorway, holding her cell phone. "Ryan sent me a message. I quote – "Seth called and panicked. Told me Marissa is in coma. Hang on. Will be there as soon as possible."

"In a coma?!" Marissa groaned. "Oh, come on! Mom, give me your phone! I'll give Summer a piece of my mind!"  
**  
XxXxXxXxXx**

"What did we think when we signed up for this?" Kutner asked from the woman sharing his lunch table. "Seriously?"

"We thought we had the chance to work with a medical genius," Thirteen answered immediately. Then she sighed, noticing she had forgotten the sugar for her coffee. "I'll be right back."

She moved to the front of the cafeteria and was about to grab a few packages of sugar, when someone bumped into her. She turned to her left to see who it was. A brunette woman, appearing to be in her twenties, looked at her a moment later.

"Sorry," she spoke, starting to move just as her phone begun to ring. She smiled at Thirteen, brushing past her, as she spoke into the phone,

"Cooper's speaking. No. Marissa's fine."

Thirteen turned around, surprised, but the girl had already moved into the crowd and had disappeared from sight. She frowned towards the crowd, trying to see the brunette girl again, but she failed to find her.

She then shook her head in an attempt to clear it and grabbed the sugar she came for. Then she returned to the table Kutner was sitting behind.

"You okay?"

"What? Oh. Yeah. I'm fine," Thirteen replied. "I just… need the coffee."

"Yeah, don't we all," Kutner grinned as he begun to take a sip. Just then, his pager went off. So did Thirteen's.

"What the…? Room 223? Isn't that the heatstroke girl?" Kutner wondered. He looked at his companion. "HEY!" He yelled, jumping up as well, since Thirteen had already taken off. "Wait for me."

Thirteen entered the room. The woman was having a seizure, so Thirteen hurried to the machines nearby, barking out orders to the nurses as she did so. Then, as she approached the bed, she looked at the woman in it.

She froze.

"Doctor? What do you want us to do?"

"Doctor?!"

"Give her 50mg of…" She switched on autopilot, doing what she was good at, while her mind was totally blank. It was Marissa. Marissa Cooper was here. Only one thought entered her mind. Oh my god.

And she wasn't even religious.  
**  
XxXxXxXxXx**

A/N – Wohoo, chapter 1 is done. Congratulate me by reviewing! Thank you all for reading!

****


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

She had left the room before Marissa had regained consciousness and was now standing outside, speaking with Foreman on the phone. However, her eyes kept drifting at the girl on the other side of the enormous window. She was lying on the bed, talking with Kutner, who was taking a new test.

Did Marissa know she was working here? Nah, she couldn't… Could she?

"Okay, I'll talk to the patient," Foreman's voice spoke in the phone, dragging Thirteen's mind back to reality.

"Alright," she replied as she hung up. Kutner saw her and gestured for her to get in there. She took a deep breath. No biggie. So what if it's Marissa. It's been like… a long time. She might not even recognize her. She was a brunette now, after all.

She moved to the door and put her hand on the handle, intending to open the door. Why the hell was she so nervous? Seriously, she was a grown woman – a friggin' doctor even. So why would she be nervous?

She had convinced herself enough. So she took a deep breath and pressed down the handle. Yet, the door remained unopened, because someone interrupted her.

"Excuse me?"

Thirteen turned around, to face the owner of the voice. She immediately recognized the woman from the cafeteria.

"Yes?"

"Are you Marissa's doctor?"

"One of them," Thirteen answered, vaguely. "Are you a relative?"

"Yeah. I'm her sister. Is everything alright? Because I was gone for like five minutes tops and she was okay when I left. Why is that doctor in there? Damn it, Marissa is fine, right? God, mom is going to really have a heart attack if she isn't. She is fine, isn't she?"

"Calm down," Thirteen responded. "She's okay. She had a small seizure…"

"A seizure?!" Kaitlin exclaimed. "Why? I thought she was alright? Because there was this guy… Fore…head, who said she'll be okay!"

"I did say that, but there have been some changes," a voice interrupted. "Can we talk about it in the room?" He nodded towards where Marissa was now sitting up and laughing with Kutner.

Foreman had arrived, with Travis Brennan in tow. They were both looking at Kaitlin now.

"Fine," she replied. "My mom should be back any second. She went to the restaurant across the street."

Julie Cooper. Of course she wouldn't eat hospital food nor let her daughters eat it. Thirteen wasn't even surprised.

"Thirteen, are you coming?"

She looked at Foreman, who was holding the door open.

"Your name is Thirteen?" Kaitlin asked, arching an eyebrow in a way that reminded her someone.

"It's a long story," she grinned slightly in response. Then to Foreman, she said, "I think I'll go back into the lab. See if Amber and Taub have anything."

"Okay. I'll see you later."

Thirteen nodded and took off. She wasn't a coward. She just felt a bit scared confronting the past she had tried so hard to put behind her. See, nothing to do with cowardice. Nothing at all!

**XxXxXxXxXx**

Marissa watched as her sister entered the room with Doctor Foreman and Dr.2, whose name she still didn't know.

"Hi," she lifted her hand slightly. "Dr. Kutner here told me I might have something worse than a heatstroke. So … honestly, how bad is it?"

If looks could kill, Kutner would've been a little splotch on the floor, after locking eyes with Foreman.

"Dr. Kutner, Thirteen needs your help in the lab," he spoke.

"Thirteen?" Marissa raised an eyebrow just like Kaitlin had moments ago.

"She's a doctor," her sister answered. "Evidentially they have codenames now. Either that or her parents really didn't like her. Oh! Or they had A LOT of kids and decided to take the easy way out of the naming."

Marissa chuckled.

"Goodbye, Miss Cooper," Kutner nodded towards the bed, leaving the room.

"I told you to call me Marissa!" Marissa called after him just as Julie Cooper entered the room.

"What's going on here?" she asked, looking at the two doctors. "Is she getting released already?"

"Actually no," Dr.2 spoke – still nameless. "We think this might be more serious than a heatstroke."

Immediately, Julie dropped all the bags she had been carrying into the chair nearby. "More serious? What's wrong?"

"We think it's Miller-Fisher, an inflammatory process. In rare cases, it can cause respiratory failure, but..."

"Respiratory?" Kaitlin interrupted. "She could stop breathing?!"

"She could stop what?! No, no, no! You said it was a heatstroke. Just a heatstroke. You can't just change your mind about that!" Julie exclaimed, suddenly starting to advance towards Foreman with a dangerous glint in her eyes. And even though he was a very brave man, Foreman unexpectedly had an urge to hide behind something. "And what does it mean you THINK?! This is an expensive hospital. It's known for the great diagnostics team it has and you're telling me you THINK it might be something?"

She was standing rather close to Foreman now, who bravely stood on his spot, appearing very calm.

"Mrs. Cooper, I assure you…"

"Oh, no you do not! You cannot assure me anything! At first you thought it could be a heatstroke. And it's not. And now you think it COULD be a…"

"MOM!"

Heads turned towards Marissa once again. Kaitlin was rather amused by the lioness inside Julie, but Marissa… not that much.

"Let him speak, okay? Maybe it won't be that bad."

"Thank you," Foreman spoke, quietly relieved when Julie retreated towards the bags she had brought in earlier. "We'll begin treating Miller-Fisher right away."

"How sure are you?" Marissa asked, biting her lip slightly. "That it's the Miller-Fisher thing?"

"About 90%," Foreman spoke.

"Okay then. I think I like those odds," the brunette nodded. "Let's do it."

Julie however had her doubts, so later when the doctors left the room, she followed them.  
**  
XxXxXxXxXx**

Foreman entered the diagnostics lab about a half hour later.

"Alright, the patient has agreed to the treatment, but there is a small problem." He looked around the room. "Are we 100% sure it's Miller-Fisher?"

"Yes," Amber answered automatically. Thirteen rolled her eyes.

"We can't be 100% sure," she spoke. "But the symptoms match and it's the best bet we have."

"We'll we cannot gamble," Foreman answered, sighing. "Or we might get sued."

"What?" Taub frowned. "Sued? Is this some kind of a test? Is House watching this?"

"I'm serious," Foreman spoke, obviously meaning it.

"And I thought Marissa was like awesome," Kutner frowned.

"She wouldn't sue a hospital, would she? Besides I don't think anyone would be dumb enough to try and file charges for one misdiagnose." Thirteen couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"It's not the patient that threatened to sue us," Foreman sighed again. "It's the patient's mother."

A moment of silence.

"Oh, well in that case," Thirteen hopped up to her feet, looking around. "We should really run some more tests."

With that, she grabbed her file and exited the room rather quickly.

"What's wrong with her?" Amber asked, bewildered.

Foreman rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Maybe she has met the mother."  
**  
XxXxXxXxXx**

Kaitlin Cooper was not a happy camper. And the fact that she wasn't camping in the first place had nothing to do with it.

This morning her biggest worry had been setting an appointment with the dentist. Now her sister couldn't feel her legs anymore. Speak about a change in priorities.

"Kay, could you stop pacing, please," Marissa softly asked. "You're making me dizzy."

"Oh, yeah, of course," Kaitlin reacted immediately, by sitting into the chair by Marissa's bed. "How are you?"

"I've been better," she chuckled dryly. "So, I've been switching my consciousness on and off a lot lately. Care to give me a summary of what's been happening?"

"Well, you've been getting sicker," Kaitlin spoke, "Mom is out there, possibly yelling at some of the incompetent doctors, Bullit is planning on flying back from Russia, Summer and Ryan are calling my cell nonstop, both telling me they'd be here in a minute… "

"Oh, god, please don't let Summer see me like this," Marissa spoke up, her eyes drifting closed. "My hair is such a mess she'd never let me forget it."

Kaitlin frowned.

"Could you please stop doing that?" she suddenly asked.

"Doing what?" Marissa asked back, now looking at her.

"Pretending that everything's just fine. It's not fine. Mom's worried sick. I'm worried sick. Every-damn-body is worried sick and you're trying to crack jokes? It's not funny, Marissa. It just isn't!"

She kept eye contact with Marissa for a while, before leaning back in her chair, closing her eyes and sighing.

"I'm sorry, it's just that nobody seems to be making any progress and I can't help but…"

"No, you're right," Marissa interrupted, staring at the ceiling. "I know that this isn't funny. Trust me, I know, but what else is there to do? Freak out? Kay, I really don't think that'll help me much." She sighed softly. "I'm scared too. I don't want to die."

Kaitlin grabbed her hand and held it.

"You'll be okay. You have to be." She paused. "You will get better, because… because this is supposed to be the best damn hospital there is and they'll make you better. They have to. Otherwise mom might go all serial-killer on their ass," she smiled, when her older sister chuckled slightly.

"Speaking of which," Kaitlin looked around. "I should go make sure she hasn't gotten herself kicked out or something."

"Yeah, you should," Marissa replied.

"I don't want to leave you alone though," her sister responded, frowning. Then, as she looked out of the room, she noticed a familiar looking doctor.

"I'll be right back," she told Marissa and left the room.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

"So, don't you have anything better to do than stand here?"

Thirteen turned around to look at Marissa's sister. An amused look appeared on her face, as she shrugged her shoulders slightly.

"No, not really."

"Oh, good, because I need you to keep an eye on my sister, while I try to keep my mother from falling into the hands of hospital security … or psych-ward, whichever comes first for her."

"But…" Thirteen started.

"No, buts. I really have to check on my mom and you're a doctor. You wouldn't let anything happen to Marissa, right?"

"Of course not, but…"

"Good. But if something does happen to her during your watch, I'll personally hunt you down and kick your ass," Kaitlin spoke, starting to move away. Then she turned around. "Oh yeah, and thanks!"

"Wait, I can't…"

Kaitlin was already gone. Jeez, that Cooper had the disappearing act down good.

Thirteen stood by the door, hesitating. Should she go in? Probably. The patient was alone and in a bad situation. As a doctor she should check on her. She placed her hand on the handle. It was just another case. No reason to worry.

She pressed the handle down.

She could do this.

She pushed the door open.

It was done. She was inside, staring at the sleeping form of Marissa Cooper.

"I thought you were going to see if Mom was okay?"

Okay, maybe she was staring the 'appearing' to be the sleeping form of Marissa Cooper. Because evidentially she wasn't asleep after all.

Marissa's eyes fluttered open, when she didn't get an answer to her question. She yawned slightly, turning towards the door. Then as her eyes found the figure by the wall, her movements came to a halt.

Thirteen's mind was a blank. So, she went for the longest sentence her brain could process.

"Hi."

**XxXxXxXxXx**

A/N – That's two down. C'mon, I know you want more. Don't you**? R&R!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Marissa just stared at her. For a good while. Then a small smile appeared on her face.

"Alex?"

Awkwardly the doctor in the doorway raised her hand in a silent greeting.

"So it really is you," Marissa fell back into her pillows, sighing. "Thank god."

"Huh?"

Oh yeah, Alex Kelly was very good with words right now. The brilliant brain of hers, that had gotten her though med-school and into this hospital, was totally failing her. Stupid brain.

Marissa tiredly smiled at her.

"Are you aware that this window," she gestured towards the big window in the wall between her room and the rest of the hospital, "works both ways?"

Suddenly Alex had the urge to slap herself over the head.

"You saw me?"

"Yeah, I did. Several times actually," Marissa answered. "I was starting to think I was hallucinating. But you know, then my brain caught up. Why would I be hallucinating about my… um… well you as a brunette of all things?"

"See, now I feel like a stalker," Alex answered, sheepishly. She gestured towards the window. "How long have you…?"

Marissa grinned at her slightly.

"Actually I'm touched that you care, Thirteen."

"And now I am officially crept out. How the hell do you know that?"

"I saw you speaking to Kaitlin in the morning. You know, when the doctors thought I had that Fisher thing? So, when she told me your name was Thirteen, I kinda thought – Yeah right, no chance in hell that that's Alex, but when I saw you the second time, I changed my mind."

She struggled to sit up. Seeing her situation, Alex walked to her side and helped her. Her doctor side taking over, she asked,

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine."

"Really?" One of her eyebrows arched delicately.

Marissa stared at her for a few long moments. Then she slowly shook her head.

"No. My head is killing me, I haven't eaten anything solid in a while and I can't feel my legs and I think… I think I could be dying here."

"Woah, hold on," Alex spoke up, a frown on her face. "Marissa, you are not dying."

"Are you sure?" Her gaze moved to the wall nearby. "Because I don't know anymore. Nobody tells me anything and when that doctor Foreman speaks to me, he keeps like saying these big medicinal terms, which I don't understand at all," Marissa spoke. "And you know what they say about past flashing before your eyes and here you are…"

She looked at Alex, her eyes filled with sadness. "Alex, what's wrong with me?"

The doctor couldn't help but close her eyes, as she sighed. She was thankful for the time she had had to prepare herself for this, because otherwise she would've been too shocked to string together her thoughts. However since Marissa was still expecting an answer…

"I'm not sure. Foreman believes it's botulism…"

"Oh, yeah," Marissa spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "Kaitlin told me they treated me for that. But then they kinda changed their mind, when Dr.2 came in and told Mom and Kaitlin I have Polo … Polka… Pola…"

"Polio?" Alex whispered, horrified.

"Yeah, that could've been it," Marissa softly murmured, her eyes flickering between her hands and Alex's face. "So when did you become a doctor anyways?"

"A…A while ago," Alex answered, frowning when Marissa's eyes drooped closed. "Marissa?"

"I'm fine," the brunette in the bed replied instantly. "Jus' tired and a bit hot. If I fall asleep then don't leave, because… I want to talk later and…" she yawned softly, "… stuff."

"I won't."

"Promise?"

"Yeah."

"Good," Marissa's response was barely heard by Alex. A moment later the brunette was out cold.

Quietly Alex rose from her seat. She placed a hand on Marissa's forehead and frowned. She was burning up again. She took a deep breath.

Maybe it wasn't Polio. She might've heard wrong. Besides, Brennan had offered Polio before and everybody laughed it out. Polio – it's ridiculous. It's impossible … it's… no. Marissa couldn't be dying. Could she?  
**  
XxXxXxXxXx  
**  
It was about ten minutes later when the door to the hospital room opened. Alex, who had been pacing back and forth a lot, turned, hoping it was one of her colleges. Because she didn't have her pager and she couldn't leave the room because of Marissa. Oh and Kaitlin, who she believed was totally able to find her and kick her ass if she left. She was a Cooper after all.

So imagine her shock, when she turned around to see nobody but Summer Roberts. A really pregnant Summer Roberts.

Once again, she dazzled everybody with her ingenious greeting.

"Hi."

Seriously, she hated her brain sometimes. Maybe she needed a new one. Stupid, stupid brain.

Blink. Blink. Summer stared. Then,

"Hi."

The moment of silence continued. Then the door opened again. Seth Cohen ran in, carrying what seemed to be a dozen balloons, boxes of chocolate and a ridiculously purple teddy bear, that seemed oddly familiar for some reason.

"Okay, Sum, where do I put these? Taylor and Ryan will be right in with the…" He paused, seeing that his wife wasn't even looking at him. He dropped the things into the free chair by the wall and then saw the other woman in the room.

He stared. Then grinned.

"Alex, my friend. Long time, no see. Come here you!" And suddenly Seth Cohen was hugging her.

Just when Alex thought this day couldn't get any weirder.

Summer, obviously over her initial surprise, looked at Alex.

"Well…what brings you here?"

"I… I work here, believe it or not. A doctor, ya know," Alex answered, feeling just a tad bit weird as Seth finally released her from his hug. "And um, actually I really should be going… I just didn't want to leave Marissa alone, you know, because her sister promised me physical pain if I did, but… I should go check on..."

"Halt!"

Having turned to leave, Alex quietly turned around again, peering at the brunette woman carefully.

"Yes?"

"You're a doctor?"

"I… Yes," trying to install more confidence in herself, she pocketed her hands, straightened and added, "Yes, I am."

"And you're working on Coop here? On your ex?"

Alex swallowed and her eyes flittered to the sleeping brunette in the bed. Strands of hair plastered over her face because of the fever didn't change anything. Marissa still looked as amazing as she had back in the O.C. Maybe even better if she was actually healthy.

Which she wasn't.

"I am," she finally looked back at Summer. "But…"

"No buts," the woman immediately stopped her. "We've asked about fifteen people all stuck in that coat you wear. Ten of them didn't even know a Marissa Cooper and the five that did, didn't tell us a single thing, so please, just tell us what's wrong with her."

Taken aback by the heated tone, Alex unpocketed her hand and slid it over her hair.

"I can't tell you," she finally admitted.

"What? Of course you can tell us. She's my best friend. What's wrong with her?"

"No, I really can't," the doctor insisted, looking between the two worried friends of the girl laying on that bed. "I can't, because even I don't know." Admitting that kinda sucked. Big time. Her tone softened, as she added. "That's why I have to go. Listen, I'm sorry that I can't tell you anything, but we all are working on this, I promise. And as soon as I find out, I'll let you know, alright?"

"Okay," Summer nodded. Then she added, with a small smile, "Thanks."

"No problem. Just, when she wakes up," Alex rested her hand at the back of her own neck, "Tell her I really had to leave."

Summer and Seth both nodded, so she took off, heading towards the diagnostics. But she had barely gotten out of the room, when she almost crashed into another familiar face. Not having time to deal with it, she hurried off.

Ryan Atwood scratched his head as he entered the room.

"Was that…?"

"Alex? Yeah," Seth nodded.

"She's a…?"

"Doctor? What a surprise, right?" Seth picked up the purple teddy bear.

"Actually," Ryan entered the room, followed by his wife Taylor. "I was going to say brunette."  
**  
XxXxXxXxXx**

Hours later a lot of people were standing behind the window of room 223. It was filled with people, most of which Marissa's friends or family and two doctors – Foreman and Brennan. Julie Cooper actually looked like she was going to murder those two.

Alex did not want to be in their shoes.

"C'mon," she muttered, staring at Marissa. As if feeling it, Marissa tilted her head towards the window. Alex's eyes furrowed. Was she mouthing something? She was!

'Stalker'

Even though the situation was damn dire, Alex couldn't help, but chuckle softly.

When the doctors by her side looked at her, she just shrugged softly, her tone regaining the needed seriousness with ease,

"Just thinking how ridiculous this is. Polio… really?"

"Yeah, what are the chances, huh?" Kutner spoke, sadly. "C-vitamin won't help. It's medically impossible."

The good mood Alex had had for a split second disappeared completely now. Kutner had a point. The chances were non-existent.

"She's shivering," Amber spoke. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"It's a side effect of the treatment," Cole replied. They watched as Brennan suddenly produced a pin. And poked Marissa's foot with it.

She reacted.

Alex let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. She was getting better. Marissa was going to be just fine! Medically impossible or not, Marissa was going to be okay. As Homer Simpson would say – Thank You, Jebus!

The entire hospital room of 223 became alive, when Dr.2 pricked her leg. Marissa knew she must've been grinning like an idiot, but since she could feel her legs, she really didn't give a damn.

She hugged her mother and her sister; watched as Seth and Summer both jumped up and down, even though Summer was seven months pregnant, squealing; smiled at Ryan and Taylor, who were both beaming at her and then she looked out of the window, sending a small smile to Alex as well, who returned a grin of her own.

The day seemed a bit better now that she knew she wasn't going to die or lose the use of her legs. Actually, a lot better.

A minute later, just as Brennan and Foreman were exiting the room, Marissa leant over to whisper something to Seth. The man instantly nodded, accepting the sacred mission given to him.

So just as Foreman was leaving, asking the group of doctors outside to follow, Seth came out of the room. The doctors were already on their way to wherever doctors go after completing a job, but luckily for him and his mission, he managed to catch a hold of the one doctor he needed.

Surprised to feel a hand on her shoulder, Alex turned around, just as the other doctors disappeared behind a corner.

"Seth?"

"Hey. Aren't you coming in to celebrate? We'd all want to catch up, you know."

"I'd love to, really. But I can't," she gestured towards the general area the doctors had gone to. "I have to work."

"Oh," Seth released her arm. "But maybe later?"

"I'll try," Alex smiled. Then she left and Seth had to return to the hospital room and admit to Marissa that his ultra secret mission had failed. Damn.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

Later that night, Alex found herself behind the door to the hospital room 223 once again. She opened it as quietly as possible just in case Marissa was asleep.

"Hey," a small voice greeted her. But it wasn't Marissa's. It was Summer's.

"Oh, hey," Alex replied, looking towards the bedside. "What're you doing here?"

"If you're hinting to the fact that it's past the visiting hours," Summer grinned, stretching slightly in the chair she was sitting in, "Julie gave the doctors her evil eye and since they are afraid that she'll really sue the hospital, they are trying to please her."

"Won't she sue then?"

"I don't think Coop would let her," Summer patted the stomach of her sleeping friend. "By the way, Coop's a lawyer now."

"Huh?"

"Yeah, just so you'd know you're not the only one who's got an impressive career," Summer solemnly nodded, while smiling. "But seriously, how did you become a doctor?"

"Surprised?" Alex asked, as she leant against the wall.

"Well, kinda. That's even more unlikely than Coop becoming a kickass lawyer."

Alex chuckled. "Always knew she'd do something like that. Show everybody what's she's capable of."

"Yeah. But back to the doctor thing…" Summer waved her hand impatiently. "So you like disappeared over night. Coop figured you might've gone to L.A to see your parents and then blam, here you are… A doctor in New Jersey…as a brunette." Summer was obviously happy to have someone keep her from being bored.

The brunette by the wall laughed. "Yeah. A lot has happened over the years. I finally managed to turn my life around. Guess all I needed was a little heartache, a fresh start and a rich uncle, huh?"

"So, where's everybody else?" She asked, changing the subject.

"Ryan had to go home with Taylor, since their babysitter couldn't spend the night. Cohen went home, because Kirsten couldn't find Jamie's favourite toy and he wouldn't stop crying and Julie and Kaitlin went home with Bullit. They'll be back in the morning."

"Go home? To Newport?"

"Yeah right," Summer laughed. "No, we've all been living in Hamptons for a while now. Coopers have lived there ever since Marissa started in NYU Law…"

"She went to NYU Law School?" Alex interrupted, obviously surprised.

"Hey, should I be offended by that tone or something," A sleepy voice murmured.

Alex laughed standing up and moving towards the bed to look at her patient slash ex-girlfriend.

"Nah."

"Admit it, you're surprised." Marissa smiled up at her, yawning slightly as she stretched.

"Maybe a little, but you'll have to admit you're surprised to see me as a doctor."

"Not as surprised as I am to see you as a brunette." She smirked when Alex rolled her eyes at her. "No, but it looks good on you."

"Yeah, brunette definitely works for you," Summer enthusiastically agreed. "Brunette's are always hotter anyways."

"Not that you, as a lifetime brunette, would be biased or anything," Marissa spoke, looking at Summer, who smirked.

"Me biased? Of course not! But, I'll go get coffee. Do you want any?"

"Sure, bring me…"

"Actually," Alex spoke up. "You shouldn't have caffeine right now. It's too soon after the treatment, you might get trano… um, a fever again."

Summer looked Alex up and down. Then she looked at Marissa and gestured at her,

"You see, I like doctors like this. No big words, brunette, familiar and they are at the right spot on the right time!" Then she looked at Alex, patted her shoulder as she passed and said. "The country needs more doctors like you. Be proud, woman. Be proud!"

Then she left.

Marissa and Alex both looked after her. Then Alex looked at Marissa.

"Hormones?"

"Possibly. Or just good old Summer," Marissa laughed, gesturing to the now free chair by her bed. "C'mon, sit down. Keep me company. Unless, are you still working?"

"Nope," Alex replied, plopping down. "I'm off the clock."

"Oh and you still came in here to check up on me? I'm flattered," Marissa grinned.

Alex nodded solemnly.

"You should be."

They shared a small smile, after which Marissa asked,

"So, why's everybody calling you Thirteen anyways?"  
**  
XxXxXxXxXx**

**A/N** – Once upon a time there was a review button. It was very lonely and nobody kept it company. It was very sad. So one day, a nice person interacted with it. The review button was then very happy. So it told its owner to write more. And the owner did, because if the review button was happy, then so was she.  
(That's a hint to the fact that you should review :P Thank you all!)


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

When Summer entered the room with her cup of coffee and a Mars bar, she found her best friend and her doctor both laughing loudly, obviously not having trouble reconnecting.

"Oh god, I will always remember his face. It'll be etched into my memory forever." Marissa spoke between laughter. "Seth was such a perv."

"Was?" Summer asked, gaining the attention of the two women, who obviously hadn't noticed her enter. "In my opinion, Cohen will always remain one. So what's the subject?"

Alex grinned at her.

"The day Seth walked in on me and Marissa."

Summer's brow furrowed. "Seth walked in on you?"

"Well, he didn't technically walk in on us. He just happened to be in my living room, when Marissa came out of the bedroom, not very dressed."

"Not very dressed? I was practically naked and Seth was enjoying every moment of it," Marissa giggled. Alex couldn't help but laugh along. Then as she saw Marissa grimace, she stopped.

"Are you sure you're feeling okay? No headaches? No tiredness? Maybe you shouldn't…"

"Alex, I thought you were off duty," Marissa responded, as she rolled her eyes ever-so-slightly. "And I'm fine. Honestly. I've spent most of the time here being unconscious, so I'm pretty sure I'm rested enough."

"Really?" Alex asked, a dubious note in her voice.

"Really," Marissa confirmed. "Scout's honour."

Alex snorted.

"You've never been a scout, Marissa."

"Yeah, well, the point remains," the brunette on the bed smiled softly.

Summer shook her head at them, biting into her Mars bar. Then she wondered loudly,

"Why don't they sell tuna and tomato sandwiches here?"

Marissa and Alex both paused, their heads turning towards Summer in synchronization.

"Cravings?" The brunette in the doctor's coat asked.

"I guess so," Summer nodded thoughtfully. Then she suddenly pulled out her phone.

"Cohen? Where are you? Oh good! Stop in some sort of a shop and get me a tuna-tomato sandwich right now! What? Well, I don't care that the shops are closed! I want a sandwich!"

Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Of course I want extra mayo, you asshat! Now hurry up!"

"Yeah, babe, I love you too," Summer smiled into the phone, before hanging up. She looked at the women nearby. "Cohen will be here soon."

"You two have the weirdest relationship," Marissa commented, shaking her head.

"You know what," Alex turned towards her patient. "I was just about to say that."

"Oh, hush, Cohen and I have a perfect relationship," Summer answered, finishing her Mars bar. "Speaking of which, Alex, how are you doing in the relationship department?"

"Well… on the scale of 1 to 10, I'm definitely a …" Alex did a show of counting on her fingers. "Zero. My last date was a blind date about three months ago and that was interrupted by an emergency in a hospital."

"You're kidding me?" Summer shook her head. "You two are pathetic. If you hide behind your jobs as excuses not to get out there," she stood up, moving towards the doorway, "and don't even try to hook yourselves up with someone…" she opened the door, "… you'll end up alone in a house filled with cats I tell you. Cats, Coop. Cats!"

"Summer, where are you going?"

"I thought I could do with just one chocolate bar, but obviously not," Summer grinned at her best friend. Then she closed the door behind her.

"Never mind her relationship advice," Marissa conspiratorially spoke. "She's been telling me that for a while now. She thinks she's playing on my phobia of cats."

"Oh right, the one you got when you're grandmother's cat bit you when you were little," Alex murmured, smirking.

"I can't believe you remember that," Marissa looked at her, clearly surprised.

"Good memory," Alex answered, tapping her forehead. She then picked up the bear on Marissa's bedside. "However, my memory fails me here. Why is this thing so familiar?"

"I can't believe you don't remember Mr. Huggies!" Marissa exclaimed, taking the bear from her companion. "See," she turned the bear upside down, "this is the spot, where you maimed him."

"Where I maimed … Oh… Oh god, now I remember," Alex exclaimed, looking at the bear. "We were in your room and we were supposed to go to the…um…"

"That club – Mosaic," Marissa supplied.

"Yeah, that and we were throwing the bear back and forth, when you suddenly sent it barreling right into my face!"

"I didn't send it suddenly," Marissa protested. "It wasn't my fault you were distracted."

"Of course it was! You took off your shirt for god's sake," Alex grinned at the memory. "So in revenge I flung it back at you and you dodged it and it hit the curling iron you had plugged in earlier," she trailed her hand across the bear's foot, where the scorch mark was, "and Mr. Huggies got a bit burnt."

"A bit," Marissa rolled her eyes. "Poor Huggies was in pain for days."

"I'm sure he was, but on the bright side," Alex put on a mask of seriousness. "It seems that his second-degree burn has not harmed his dermis very much, so it's just papillary…"

Her voice was then muffled when a pillow hit her face.

"Really mature, Marissa," she spoke as she pulled it off. "And I'd really retaliate, but I gave an oath not to harm my patients or something like that."

"Oh, so basically, I have immunity?" Marissa playfully asked, "I can do anything I want and you can't stop me?"

"No," Alex automatically said. "Whatever you're thinking about doing, don't. I might not harm you, but I can sedate your ass."

"Just my ass?" Marissa raised an eyebrow.

"You get what I mean, dumbass," Alex smirked, handing her back her pillow.

"Yep, you have an obsession over my ass," Marissa seriously nodded, grinning when Alex shook her head, slightly exasperated.

"You are a piece of work, you know that, right?" The brunette finally asked, a little quieter, looking at her. "Always were."

Marissa smiled at her.

"Of course. I'm special that way." She then shifted in her position and looked at Alex with a seriousness that wasn't there a second ago. "But, I meant to ask you earlier… Am I like okay now? Really okay?"

"Physically yes, mentally…"

"Don't make me use the pillow," Marissa warned, almost playfully, before regaining the solemn expression. "But really. I'm not going to get sicker again, right? I'm fine now?"

"Yeah. The treatment worked. Your stats are improving and while you'll have to stay in the hospital for few days for follow-up tests and monitoring, but you're fine now," Alex gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Good, because I think mom couldn't handle another relapse," Marissa spoke, turning onto her side, so she was facing Alex. "She's really worried."

"Trust me, we know," Alex smiled. "She promised to sue the entire hospital if we screwed up this case."

"No, please tell me she didn't," Marissa slid a hand over her face. "I swear embarrassing me is what she lives for nowadays."

"It's not that bad," Alex leant back in her chair, amused. "She just managed to scare the hell out of Foreman and the others and that is not an easy feat."

"Mom can be scary like that," Marissa nodded slightly. "So you were supposed to tell me why you won't let that House dude find anything out about you?"

"'Cause it's fun messing with him," Alex replied.

Just then the door opened and Seth came in – carrying grocery bags.

Alex, noticing that she was still holding Marissa's hand, quickly released it, not noticing Marissa's amused smile as she did so.

"Seth what are you doing?" The doctor in the room asked.

"Well, Summer needed a tuna sandwich, but every restaurant where I could get one is closed by now. So obviously I have to make her one," Seth gave Alex the 'duh' look. "I bought tuna and bread and butter and kitchen knives and…"

"They let you in here with kitchen knives?" Alex asked, her eyebrows lifting.

"Yeah, it comes out that the security guy's wife is also pregnant, go figure. Um, so where is Summer anyways?"

Marissa's brow furrowed, as she too noticed the lack of a certain slightly insane friend of hers.

"She went for a chocolate bar a while ago. She should've been back by now… maybe something happened?"

"Relax, Coop, I'm fine," Summer's voice interrupted her before she could go into a panic mode. "I just had to use the bathroom and then I bumped into this really hot guy…"

"What?" Seth wheeled around, his fuzzy eyebrows furrowing. "Who?"

"Hey ya, Seth," Ryan entered the room, carrying a bag as well.

"Okay, doesn't anyone sleep anymore?" Marissa asked. "It's like, um, what's the time?"

"About 2am," Alex supplied helpfully.

"It's 2am!" Marissa exclaimed, then looked at Alex, surprised. "It's really that late?"

"Yep," she nodded. "So, I see you've got your bases covered, so maybe I should…"

"No, come on," Summer protested, "I've barely had a chance to talk to anyone from Newport days!"

"I was in Newport for only a few months," Alex reasoned.

"Ah, you're much more interesting than any of those Newport bitches anyways," Summer waved her hand, dismissing the comment. "C'mon, Alex, think of it as a fun night of catching up and…"

"I brought cards and board games," Ryan held up his bag, before nodding to the doctor. "Hi, Alex. Looking good."

"You too," Alex replied, giving him an almost smile, before turning towards Summer. "I have to work from seven."

"So, think of this like this," Seth flung a hand over her shoulders. "You can drive home, sleep like two hours and then get ready for work and come back here OR you could have fun for these five hours you have left, go from here to straight to work and use your time for much more useful things than sleeping."

Alex pursed her lips. "Seriously, guys…"

"Alex," Marissa spoke, "I'm a very sick girl and my last wish would be for you to stay here with me and my friends and play, what may be the last board game I ever play, with me…" She pursed her lips into a pout, blinking her eyes furiously.

Wordlessly, Alex picked up Mr. Huggies and flung it at Marissa's face.

"Hey!" The brunette protested after the collision between her face and her teddy bear. "What happened to the oath?"

"To hell with that. I'm off the clock," with that she pulled off the white coat and threw it into the chair nearby. "So what games did you bring, Atwood?"  
**  
XxXxXxXxXx**

Fighting off another yawn, Alex tried to concentrate on what was going around her, while drowning a cup of coffee – the third one already. She and the others were waiting for House, who to her great surprise, actually showed up on time.

"Morning!" He brightly greeted them all, way happier than any normal person would be at 7:30 am. "How's it going?"

"We saved the girl. She had Polio," Brennan boasted. Alex was too tired to even roll her eyes at his bragging tone like she usually would have done.

"We cured it with C-Vitamin," Kutner added, obviously proud of their day's work.

House gave them a blank look.

"Yeah. I cured depression with tonic water once. Actually, I think there was some gin in it too."

"We gave her 150g over six hours. It worked."

"No, it didn't."

Heads turned towards the back of the room, where Foreman was standing.

Alex's tiredness disappeared faster than a friggin' snowflake in the desert as she placed her cup on the table with a small clang, her head snapping up. It didn't work? Marissa wasn't healed after all? But she had seemed perfectly fine. She had checked her before leaving this morning. Everything was returning to normal.

Damn, she had even promised her she was alright and now...

"I told you that you can't cure polio. That means either she's not cured or she never had it. Since she's recovering fine…"

Alex watched as Foreman handed a file to House.

"I tested her blood from admittance. No polio. That means Brennan screwed up the lab tests."

"Or you screwed up your lab tests," Brennan spoke up from his seat.

Amber looked at Foreman.

"You must have. She got better."

"Yeah, all of her symptoms are gone," Alex spoke up. "Even the fever went down soon after the treatment."

"So it's relapsing and remitting. Maybe... porphyria," Foreman reasoned.

"Nah, that's a stretch. If she had porphyria, you would have seen purple urine," House spoke in a matter-of-fact tone.

Surprised, Foreman looked at the man.

"You think it's more likely he cured polio?"

"They believe it. Her symptoms fit perfectly. And the alternative is unbelievably convoluted. Some doctor would have to poison her with thallium so it looks like polio, then fake a lab test, then give her Vitamin C and stop the poison so she magically gets better," He paused and looked at one of them. Brennan to be exact. "Actually... it is kinda doable, right?"

Everybody was shocked. The applicants all stared at their rival, expecting him to protest – say he hadn't done such thing. But surprisingly, he remained quiet.

"So what do you think? Should we test her for thallium before you contact Stockholm?" House asked him.

Alex's brow's furrowed as she realized the truth.

"You bastard! You poisoned her?"

"Now, now, Thirteen. No reason for name calling. I'm sure he has a good reason for poisoning his patient," House spoke, looking at Brennan expectantly.

"Vitamin C cures polio. I've seen it!" Brennan insisted.

"Yeah. In some bush clinic. You needed polio in a place with a proper lab. The only problem is that places with proper labs don't have polio, do they?" House responded.

"There is no money in finding cures for diseases that only kill poor people," Brennan spoke, standing up and approaching House. He then looked at his fellow applicant. "This will make them do research!"

He moved his eyes over their faces. They all were too stunned to respond. All except…

"I am so totally going to kick your ass, you moron."

Surprised, heads turned towards Alex, who really didn't give a damn. What the hell was this freak thinking?

"Don't you get it? I faked one lab test to save a few thousand lives! I did what I had to do." Brennan turned towards House and looked at him. "Isn't that what you hired us for?"

House nodded, sighing.

"Which is why I'm not firing you."

Needless to say, nobody replied to that. Brennan was too relieved to speak and risk messing something up and everybody else was just… really, really shocked.

"You're gonna quit." Caught off guard, Brennan looked at House. "Go on, get out of here."

Alex expected another protest, but one never came. Instead, resigned, the man plainly nodded and left the room.

"So, you're just letting him go?" Foreman asked.

"Absolutely. I'm gonna let him get as far away as possible before you call the cops. Guy's a nut job."

House then looked at the Fellows, his eyes stopping on Thirteen.

"I liked your rage. It shows me… that you look hot while you're furious."

"House..." Foreman spoke, exasperated.

"What? You can't honestly say you weren't thinking the same thing?" House gave him an expectant look, only gaining an raised eyebrow in return. "Seriously, don't you remember the time, when you actually could be fun?"

A blank look. House sighed.

"Yeah, I can't remember them either. Probably because you never could be fun!"

He shook his head as if disappointed before leaving the room without another word, leaving the rest of them behind in silence.

Alex stared at her desk for a couple of moments, before she looked up at Foreman, who was looking suddenly very worried.

"You know what this means right?" she asked, suddenly realizing something horrible. While the other Fellows looked confused, Foreman slowly nodded, his expression mirroring her own.

"Somebody has to tell her."

"Yeah, but what if _she_finds out?" Alex asked back, shuddering.

"Oh," Taub's eyes widened a moment later. "Oh my god. That would not be good."

"What?" Kutner frowned. "What wouldn't be good?"

Cole tipped his head towards him slightly. "Think Kutner. Who is the last person you'd want to tell that Brennan has been poisoning Ms. Cooper?"

Kutner's eyes went comically wide, as his mouth opened in a silent 'o'. "Oh no."

Amber looked between everybody. "Are you talking about Cuddy?"

"I nominate Amber to go tell the patient," Alex spoke up quickly.

"I second that," Kutner raised his hand as high as it could go without him actually standing up.

Foreman looked at them as if they had grown a second head... a moustache and at least three tails.

"Are you kidding me? The hospital wouldn't have enough money left to buy toilet paper if we sent her. And that's if _she_doesn't even find out. Even the patient could sue her."

"True," Cole nodded, thoughtful.

"What are you talking about?" Amber demanded, confused. She was a smart woman and she didn't like to be out of the loop. Being out of the loop was a very bad thing. Especially in this hospital.

"I'd go, but after the row of misdiagnosis…" Foreman looked at Kutner. "The patient seemed to like you."

"The patient yes. But the patient might not be alone..."

"Do we have to tell her?" Taub asked, "We are obligated to inform the patient, not the patient's mother. "

"Well, the patient has to be informed. It's the law," Alex spoke the obvious. "And the mother might not leave the patient's side. At all."

"This situation is bad." Foreman spoke. "And the only thing we can do is to put it in a way that wouldn't get the hospital sued."

"House would tell us to keep it a secret," Kutner rationalized.

"Cuddy is going to find out," Foreman rubbed the bridge of his nose. "When Brennan is arrested there will be questions and Cuddy will find out. And since she already had a," he coughed, "discussion with Mrs. Cooper-Bullit, we either deal with this right now or we might all be in deep trouble later."

"I'll go."

Alex drowned the last of her coffee as heads turned towards her. "I probably I have the best chances. Besides, if the worst happens, what would be a better way to spend a morning than explaining to Julie Cooper-Bullit why her daughter was poisoned?"

"Oh, so that's what you were talking about!" Amber exclaimed.

Kutner and Cole exchanged a look.

"And they wonder where the blonde jokes come from…"

**XxXxXxXxXx**

Hesitantly Alex pushed the door to the hospital room open. She almost leaped in joy when she understood that she had seen correctly from the window – Marissa was completely alone!

"Hey," the said woman greeted Alex sleepily. "Back so soon?"

"Eh, yeah, I guess," she spoke hesitantly, lingering in the doorway, unable to think of anything to say.

"Is everything alright?" Marissa asked, assuming that the silence was a bad omen. "Is this a work-related visit?"

"Actually, I think I have the day off now that you're treated," Alex replied, closing the door behind her and approaching her bed slowly.

"And you're not on your way home to sleep? Seriously, not that I don't appreciate your company, but Mom and Kaitlin should be back any minute and Seth, Summer and Ryan only went away to get breakfast and coffee," she paused. "I can drink coffee now, right?"

"Yeah, it shouldn't affect the treatment anymore," Alex replied. She then sighed and slid a hand over her hair. Damn it, if it hadn't been for the brilliance of Brennan she wouldn't had needed any treatment at all!

"Alright, you're starting to scare me here," Marissa sat up straighter, frowning. "What's going on?"

The doctor sighed once more, as she leant closer, taking one of Marissa's hand into her own, her blue eyes locking with her emerald ones as she tried to string together a smart thought or two.

But since her brain was sometimes just as useful as an ice cube in Alaska, she groaned in frustration once again, only managing to confuse Marissa even more.

"Listen, I really have to tell you something important and I don't know how to say it, so it wouldn't sound incredibly bad, but I'll try, okay?"

Marissa nodded slowly, already having understood that something not good was going on.

"Just promise me that you'll hear me out before... before you do whatever it is you're going to want to do after I tell you this, okay?"

"Okay," Marissa swallowed softly, expecting the worst scenarios possible. Alex gave her hand a comforting squeeze before she began.

"So, here goes…"

The doctor relayed her everything she knew and by the time she finished the look on Marissa's face could only be described as utter shock. She stared at Alex as if waiting for her to yell April's fools any time soon.

"That… that bastard," she finally managed to get out. "I thought I was going to die! Everybody was so damn worried! Mom and Kaitlin and..." she shook her head, her brain filled with bits of information that didn't quite add up. "I can't believe this. He's not going to get away with this!"

"He's not," Alex quietly spoke, stopping Marissa from beginning a full-on rant. "He'll be put away for this and if that's not going to happen... Well," a tiny soothing smile played on Alex's lips, "I still have the number of those guys I brought to the bonfire. They're even bigger and scarier now."

For a moment Marissa looked like she was going to snap or yell, which would've been a normal reaction from a girl, who had just found out her doctor had poisoned her. But instead she snorted softly.

"I remember them. Ex-cons, huh?"

"Yeah, and you know, I think you can actually call them that now," Alex spoke thoughtfully. She smiled slightly, when Marissa did too.

"So," Marissa begun, "It was just a heatstroke?"

"Mhm."

"This is just so unreal. The best diagnostic hospital in the state and I get poisoned. Am I lucky or what?"

Marissa sighed and closed her eyes, trying to think this through. But no matter how much she tried to concentrate on the big bad thoughts of poisoning, a very pleasant feeling was keeping her way too distracted. Finally, she cracked her eye open to see what it was.

It was Alex. Still gently holding onto Marissa's hand, her thumb had started to make small, slightly ticklish but rather nice circles on the back of her hand, making the brunette in bed feel all kinds of tingly.

Damn. There goes the important train of thoughts with poisoning on it. But then again, the next train of thoughts featuring a certain ex-girlfriend of Marissa's seemed a lot more interesting anyways.

Alex was definitely unaware of the actions of her runaway thumb, as she was gazing at the opposite wall, completely engrossed in her own deep thoughts.

Slowly Marissa's eyes swept over her doctor's face like they had several times over the last few days. She had really changed over the years they hadn't seen each other, but a bit of her was so familiar that Marissa couldn't help the smile that tugged on her lips.

"Do you think your mother should know?"

Alex was now looking at her, her blue eyes filled with inquiry.

Marissa blinked a few times, before she could comprehend what the other woman meant.

"No. Definitely not. There's no reason to tell her. If that Brennan guy is dealt with, there's not really anything she could do. Except you know, make a scandal. She's very good at that."

"I remember." Alex chuckled and then suddenly stopped, her brain finally catching up with the activities of her hand. Slowly she extracted her hand from Marissa's. "Um, I should probably go home, you know. Sleep a little – or a lot."

"Yeah," Marissa smiled, tugging on her blanket with her now free hand. "And I'll just stay here and recover from the drama."

Alex would've laughed, but unfortunately the voice she heard next took away the humour in the situation. Seriously, of course she had to show up just ten seconds before she left! Seriously!

"What drama?"

Marissa looked past the doctor in front of her, her eyes staying on the woman in the doorway.

"Oh, it's nothing, Mom," she spoke a moment later. "Just speaking about my recovery..."

**XxXxXxXxXx  
**  
**A/N** – The review button might be lonely. Please keep it company. Thank you :)


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N – **Do you know, how having **nice reviews can make you feel extremely good**? And inspire you to write more? Well, unfortunately negative reviews have the opposite reaction…

I really struggled to get this done, but I did it finally and I really hope you'll all like it :P Also, for one of the reviewers … no, I will not stop shipping Malex, but that has nothing to do with me being gay (Which I am not the slightest by the way), but with the fact that Malex had a lot of potential in the show and then blam, Marissa goes back to Ryan AND they still don't work out. Seriously, see a pattern there?

**SO MALEX FOREEEEEVEEEER!**

Chapter 5

"The recovery?" Julie entered the room, Kaitlin in tow. "Everything's still alright? There aren't any complications or something, are there, doctor?"

It took a small moment, before the doctor in the room accepted her luck… or well, the lack of it actually and decided to respond.

"Yes, Marissa's health is improving fast. She'll be home in no time," Alex answered, her back turned towards the two women, who had entered. Seriously, could her luck get any better?

"Oh, it's you."

Surprised, Alex looked to the other side of Marissa's bed, where Kaitlin was standing now, a look of recognition on her face.

"Dr. Thirteen, right?" she asked.

"Well, that's what they've been calling me lately," Alex shrugged.

"Your name is Thirteen?" Julie asked, moving to where Kaitlin was standing.

"It's a nickname," she answered, throwing a meaningful look at Marissa. She tilted her head towards the door and as expected Marissa got the meaning of Alex's hinted escape. The brunette in the hospital bed smirked and then sat up a moment later, appearing to cough.

"Cough, coward, cough," Marissa managed to hide the words rather well, but Alex still understood them. She frowned at her, her eyes narrowing and then she pinched her arm softly a moment later.

"Ow!" Marissa exclaimed, rubbing the offended spot. Her mother and sister instantly looked at the doctor.

"Just checking her reflexes," Alex spoke, now smirking at Marissa. However, the playfulness disappeared, when suddenly Julie spoke up.

"Oh my god."

Alex looked across the bed, her eyes locking with Julie's. A moment of silence followed and then Julie repeated.

"Oh my god. It's you."

"Hi." Yes, Alex. Very suave of you. Bravo. Stupid brain. Stupid, stupid, stupid brain.

"So it seems you and Seth owe me five bucks. She did recognize you," spoke Marissa, tilting her head to look at Alex. A small grin was on her lips, as if she found the entire situation humorous.

Alex shook her head slightly. Seriously, damn her friggin' luck!

"Yeah, I'm surprised she did, actually," Alex murmured, daring to throw a look over Marissa's bed and at Julie, who was still looking her, appearing to be flabbergasted. However, she did react to Alex's words.

"Yes, well, surprisingly I manage to remember people who turn my daughter's life up-side down."

The sarcastic tone wasn't lost on anyone. Alex uncomfortably tugged on her coat, wishing to be anywhere rather than here. Julie Cooper had always possessed the ability to make people doubt themselves and frankly, Alex didn't like the damn feeling.

"What are you doing here anyways?

Alex shrugged.

"I kinda work here."

Julie's expression said it all - she would've more likely believed that Santa Claus was real and drove around the skies in a Jaguar during Christmas.

"You're a doctor?"

Alex had the urge to respond that she was actually a janitor that liked to dress up as a doctor on her spare time, but she had a feeling that Julie might think she was serious.

"Yeah," she responded instead. "Big step up for me, huh?"

"Enormous."

"Mom!" Marissa exclaimed, turning to stare at her.

"What?" Julie looked away from Alex and at Marissa as she retort. "Well, it is an enormous step!"

"Didn't you promise to call Gordon?" her daughter gave her a long, very meaningful look.

"Yes. Yes, I did," Julie spoke after a moment, looking at Alex once again. Then she shook her head ever so slightly, pulled out her cell phone and moved past Alex and out to the hallway.

"Good to see some things never change," Alex commented as soon as the door closed.

"I'm sorry about that," Marissa sighed. "She's just… well, Mom." She shifted slightly on the bed. "Anyways, this was nothing. You should've seen her face when I got back from my trip and said I had taken online courses and was accepted into a decent college." Marissa waved her hand. "She looked like her eyes were going to pop out from her head."

Suddenly Kaitlin cleared her throat, reminding the two of them of her existence as well as of her presence in the room.

"Okay, what's going on?" She asked, looking back and forth at the two other persons in the room, her eyes finally lingering on her sister. "How does mom even know her?"

"Oh, right, you two haven't officially met," Marissa remembered. She then gestured between the two. "Alex – Kaitlin, Kaitlin – Alex." She looked at Alex, "I've told you about my little sister, right?"

"Um, yeah. A little, I remember something about a pony and…"

"Okay, woah, hold on. The pony was a long time ago," Kaitlin immediately protested. "I am so over the pony phase. Really!"

Marissa laughed, looking at her sister. "I've told you about Alex, too."A smirk played across her features. "Rack your brains, sis."

Kaitlin, never to reject a challenge, wrinkled her nose slightly. Then she snapped her fingers.

"Alex, as in Alex from LS?"

"No, you doofus, that Alex was a guy," Marissa rolled her eyes. "Think HD."

Alex was slightly confused. Suddenly someone placed a hand on her shoulder.

"That's their sister talk," Summer explained, as she stood by the brunette's side. "Nobody gets it. They have like those letter combinations for every major event or timeframe in their lives."

"Yeah," Ryan supplied. "Like HD means Harbor Days."

"I got it! Alex the cleaning… Wait no… another guy," Kaitlin muttered. "HD?"

"Yep," Marissa nodded. "I can't believe you haven't figured it out! I'm disappointed."

Seth rolled his eyes, turning to the three normal speaking ones in the hospital room.

"So, I saw Julie in the hallway. Did she see you?"

Alex grinned, looking at Seth. "Yea, sorry, Seth. We lost. She recognized me."

"Hah, Cohen, cough up the cash," Summer cackled, a smug look on her face.

"Don't I already do that?" Seth wondered, as he opened his wallet, handing five bucks to Summer, Ryan and then Marissa, who was still in a heated dialog with her younger sister.

"C'mon give me a hint," Kaitlin finally gave in a bit. "It's too early in the morning for my brain to work properly."

Marissa bit her lip, as she glanced at Alex once. Then she looked at her sister and sighed, leaning into her pillows and looking a bit uncertain now.

"Marissa," Kaitlin reminded her, waving her hand impatiently. "Seriously, give me a hint."

"Fine," her older sister murmured, throwing another small glance into the direction of the group by the doorway. "I'll give you an obvious one – BBB."

Kaitlin's eyes went comically wide, before her head snapped towards the doctor. "Oh! Oh my god! You're Alex Kelly!"

Alex raised her hand slightly. "Yeah. Hi." Then to Summer. "What does BBB mean?"

"Dunno," Summer shrugged. "Cooper code, remember? However I know that BST means Bitchy Summer Time. Basically that's the time when I was being a bitch to Cooper."

"Okay, if BBB means Bitch, Bitch, Bitch, I'm not speaking to you ever again," Alex told Marissa, as she also pulled out some cash, handing five bucks to Ryan, Summer and Marissa.

Marissa laughed, as she accepted the cash.

"I promise you that's not what it means. Honestly." Then she looked at her three other friends. "So, did you bring me anything?"

"Nope, sorry Marissa," Seth apologized. "Summer ate everything on our way back from the mall across the street."

A moment later he groaned in pain as Summer's hand collided with the back of his head.

"Shut up, Cohen," Summer frowned at her husband. Then she looked at Marissa. "Of course we brought you something. Breakfast and coffee," she paused, looking at Alex.

Immediately Alex nodded.

"She can have coffee."

"Oh good," Summer nodded, handing her best friend a cup. "This stuff here tastes like crap, so Atwood got us all some from the Starbucks down the block."

"Here," Seth handed a cup to Kaitlin as well. "We were expecting you to be here, so we got you one too."

"Sometimes I totally love you guys," Kaitlin grinned, taking the offered cup. She then stood up. "I'll go call Henry, make sure he doesn't miss work again." She barely took a few steps, when she paused, looking at Alex.

"You know, I never got it before, but I get it now."

Confused by a Cooper yet again, Alex gave her a look.

"Get what?"

"Why Marissa suddenly started to like girls," Kaitlin answered in a 'duh' voice. Then she left the room. A slightly uncomfortable silence followed.

"Yeaaah… So, I should really probably…" Alex tilted her head towards the doorway, her hands in her coat pocket.

"Yeah," Marissa nodded. The brunette doctor curtly nodded to the people in the room, stood up and walked towards the door. She then looked over her shoulder.

"I'll see you tomorrow?"

"I'm not going anywhere," Marissa answered, tucking her hair behind her ear, a small smile once again on her lips.

Alex smiled as well, as she pushed down the handle. Then she stopped, her back still turned towards the room. "Hey, Marissa?"

"Yeah?"

"What's BBB?"

There was a small pause, before Marissa replied,

"Big Bonfire Breakup."

"Oh."

She then left. A moment later Seth spoke,

"Did anyone else feel sexual, but slightly awkward tension in the room right now?"

Two things happened at once. Summer hit him over the head again and Marissa's pillow hit him right into his face.

"What?" He groaned. "I'm serious."

"Cohen, you're such an asshat," Summer rolled her eyes, before opening the bag they had brought in and taking out a Mars bar. She bit down on it thoughtfully, before saying,

"The asshat does have a point though."

"Couldn't you say that before abusing me?!" Seth exclaimed, rubbing the back of his head. Summer took another bite and then said,

"Nope."

**XxXxXxXxXx  
**  
Marissa stood in the middle of her hospital room. The release papers had been signed and Julie and Bullit had already taken most of her things into the car, leaving her to gather up the most important thing.

She picked up Mr. Huggies from the bedside table, her gaze lingering on the bed she had spent her last week in. Oh, yes, she was definitely glad to get out of this place, but at the same time…

She sighed.

Oddly she also felt like a small – teeny, tiny part of her didn't want to go. She had actually liked some of the time she had spent here. Seriously, nobody could gossip like the nurses did and sometimes not even Seth held a candle to the humor that was Kutner – intentionally or not.

Plus there was also the fact that she didn't have nearly as much paperwork to do right now as she usually did…

Suddenly her deep thoughts were interrupted, when she felt a hand on her waist.

She jumped slightly, surprised. But as soon as she heard laughter, she turned around and pushed the woman behind her slightly.

"That was not funny!" She exclaimed, while Alex continued to laugh.

"I'm sorry…" she chuckled, then raised her hands in mock defeat, when Marissa continued to glare her. "Sorry. I couldn't stop myself."

Marissa rolled her eyes. Then she looked at her.

"Hold on… How did that surgery thingy go?"

Alex shrugged. "It was okay," she then grinned slightly. "I was right about the illness. House fired Terzi today."

"Didn't he just hire her?" Marissa spoke, leaning against her bed slightly.

"Yeah. But that's House for you I guess," Alex replied. Then she changed the subject. "I thought you left already. The meeting went longer than I expected."

"Nah, you made it just in time. See," Marissa held up her teddy. "I'm all packed."

"So," Alex started and then trailed off.

"So," Marissa mimicked a moment later, still leaning against her bed.

"This is ridiculous," Alex spoke after another small pause. She removed her hands from her coat pockets. "Come here."

Marissa smiled, as she complied, moving away from the bed and towards Alex.

Alex wrapped her arms around her and she retaliated by doing the same.

"So, goodbye?" Alex offered, when the embrace had gone on long enough. However neither of them had pulled away yet.

"Oh hell no," Marissa answered. "The last time you said goodbye I didn't see you for years. This is a … see you later kind of a thing."

"Okay, I can accept that. Just… the next time we meet try not to be hospitalized, alright?"

Marissa chuckled. "I'll try."

Suddenly someone coughed in the doorway. The two of them separated and looked towards the area. Julie was standing there, looking at them.

"Marissa, Bullit is waiting in the car."

"Oh, yeah, right," Marissa spoke, nodding. She looked softly at Alex, before brushing by her and towards the door. Then she paused.

"Alex?" She turned around. "You know that amusement park that's like twenty minutes from here?"

Surprised, Alex nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"Summer, Seth, Ryan and Taylor are dragging me there this Saturday. They thought I needed some 'amusing' and they're taking Seth's sister and the other kids and … Well, I mean I know you have a lot of work, but if you have like time and if you, you know, wanted to… " She paused, when Alex grinned at her. "Are you laughing at me?"

"I'm not laughing, I'm grinning. There's a difference," the doctor responded, still grinning. "But you know what, I think I have this Saturday off."

"Oh. Cool," Marissa grinned. "So, I'll see you there around two-ish?"

"Sure, yeah, I'll see you there," Alex responded.

Marissa nodded once more, before turning to leave. Then she paused again, turned around and brushed past Alex once more. She sheepishly picked up Mr. Huggies, wordlessly waved towards Alex and left the hospital room with Julie.

Alex just stood there for a moment, the grin still on her face. Then as her pager went off, she took off. She had barely made it out of the door, when she found herself face to face with Gregory House himself.

He peered into the empty room she had just exited.

"The heatstroke girl? What were you doing in her room?"

Alex rolled her eyes, brushing by House, who immediately turned around to follow her.

"Just happened to go by," She answered.

"You just happened to go by the room on the fifth floor though you were supposed to be helping out in the clinic on the first floor," House nodded. "That makes perfect sense."

"I knew you'd see the logic," Alex replied, throwing him a small smile, before taking advantage of her non-cane situation and hurrying down the steps, leaving House behind.

She always loved to play games.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

Three days passed rather uneventfully. The cases were simple and the work rather boring. So when it was finally Friday's night, Alex was relieved.

She unlocked her door, threw her belongings onto the shelf nearby and hung her coat on one of the hooks on the wall. She took of the band from her hair and moved into the living room, pressing the blinking button on the answering machine in the process.

"You have three messages."

There was a small beeping sound and then the first message begun,  
_  
"Are you tired of not being able to sleep at nights? Does it take you hours before you finally manage to…"_  
_  
"Message deleted."_

Alex released the delete button and continued to brush her hair. Another beep followed.  
_  
"Ms. Kelly, I am calling you to confirm the time of your appointment…"  
_  
Alex placed the brush on the table nearby and entered her bedroom just as the dentist's message ended and another one begun.  
_  
"Hey…"_

Instantly her head appeared from the bedroom doorway, as she stared at the answering machine.  
_  
"…it's me. I was just calling to make sure we're still on tomorrow, because I couldn't survive by myself. I'm serious. I could handle Seth, Summer, Ryan and Taylor, but if you add all the kids… Alex, you got to save me. But since you're not home right now, maybe you could call me later?"_

There was a small pause.

_"I'm Marissa by the way. Just in case you didn't get it. Oh and my number is __07753240047__… and… by the way, If you don't know who I am, you don't have to call. Seriously. So, bye."  
_  
Then there was another beep, as the message ended. Alex stood in the doorway for a few more moments, before grinning, shaking her head and going back into the bedroom.

It took her about thirty minutes to take a shower, throw some of her clothes into the washer and turn on the coffee machine. Then she picked up the phone.

She dialed and waited a couple of seconds. Then, she heard soft laughter and then a joyful,

"Hello?"

"Hey," Alex answered, as she placed the phone between her shoulder and her ear, so she could make coffee.

"Oh, hey, Alex!" Marissa exclaimed. "So one of them was you!"

"One of them?" Alex asked.

"It's a long story," the other woman answered, chuckling. "But, just so you'd know, there are exactly 8 Alex Kelly's in New Jersey."

Alex laughed out loud. "You seriously called all of them?"

"No, of course not," Marissa responded, as if it was a ridiculous idea. "That would've taken too long. I had Summer call some of them."

"You're insane," Alex said, pouring her coffee into a mug. "I think we should've checked your brain more closely when you were admitted." Marissa chuckled into the phone and Alex continued, "So, what are you doing?"

"Me? I'm watching some amazingly stupid horror movie," Marissa answered, then sighed into the phone. "I can't describe how good it is too just lay back and relax."

"Mm, I think I have an idea," Alex took her coffee and went into the living room, placing it onto the coffee table. She then turned on the TV. "Work has been so boring lately. It's not like I want someone to be dying, but… yeah, sometimes I do wish something interesting would happen."

"Well, tomorrow will be interesting," Marissa offered hopefully. "You are coming right?"

"Yeah, I'll be there," Alex answered.

Marissa spoke, relieved. "Good. So… has anything interesting happened lately?"

Alex smiled and laid down on the couch, staring at the ceiling.

"Well…"

**XxXxXxXxXx**

**A/N** – Review button is friendly! It won't bite! Promise :)  
BTW – I'm now in a contest with a friend – who can get more reviews … Don't let me down people!  
Love – Me :P_  
_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"I never thought I'd live to see the day Ryan rides a pink pony," Marissa commented, her eyes fixated on the strange sight.

"Tell me about it," Summer chuckled, as the two of them both tilted their heads in synchronization so they could follow his path for as long as possible.

Summer then waved at her almost six year old sister-in-law, however weird that sounded, as she came to sight just a moment later, giggling like a maniac as she clung onto the small elephant she was riding on the merry-go-round.

"So where did Seth and Taylor go?" Marissa asked her friend, finally able to drag her eyes away from the carousel. She opened the drink she had bought and took a sip.

"Taylor went with Bella to ride the tiny plastic airplanes and Jamie managed to convince Seth to take him on a ride on the train thingies over there," Summer gestured towards the ride, sighing. "Which reminds me I should probably make sure he doesn't get sick."

"Jamie or Seth?" Marissa raised an eyebrow, her mouth curling into a small smile. Summer sighed again.

"Probably both," she answered a moment later. "Do you think you could keep an eye on Sophie, while I go get the boys?"

"Sure," Marissa nodded. Summer then got up from the bench she had been sitting on and walked away, while muttering about the duties of a pregnant woman.

Grinning, Marissa continued to sip her drink, looking at the incredibly cute sight that was Ryan. Then, an evil thought entered her mind as she fished out her phone, quickly aiming it towards one of her closest friends.

The picture was snapped. Just as Marissa was about to pocket her phone, it begun to ring. She took a look at the number and a smile played on her lips as she answered the call.

"Hey," she spoke. "You here yet?"

"Yeah, actually I am, but this place is seriously overcrowded. Where are you?"

Marissa looked around the place.

"Well I'm not far from the entrance... Hm. Do you see the fountain?"

It took a moment, but then Alex answered,

"Yeah, I see it."

"What about the merry-go-round?"

"Yeah, got it."

"I'm right in front of it. Do you see the benches?"

"Yeeaah… Oh! Wait, I think I see you…" There was a small pause. "Oops, nope, sorry. That was … a fat guy with a milk moustache and a wart in the size of a potato. Eugh."

Marissa chuckled into the phone. "You see me, huh? Thanks a lot, Alex. Seriously. Anyways, I'm right between the fountain and the merry-go-round. I'm sitting…"

"Boo!" Marissa jumped slightly, when she suddenly she heard Alex's voice from right next to her.

"Stop doing that!" she exclaimed, turning around so she could see the brunette standing behind her.

Alex laughed, as she pocketed her phone and moved to stand in front of Marissa.

"Sorry, I can't resist the temptation."

Marissa shook her head, but stood up anyways, so she could greet Alex with a brief hug.

"So, where's everybody?" Alex asked, when they separated.

"Hm, you have no idea," Marissa answered, a knowing smile appearing on her face. She tugged on the other woman's hand and gently turned her to the other direction. "Now, look right ahead."

Alex did so, but she didn't manage to see anything remotely interesting. Only some little kids going round and round on the carousel. She frowned, feeling like she was missing something.

She looked towards the brunette next to her. Marissa was smiling gently, looking ahead. However, as if feeling her eyes on her, she turned, her green eyes resting on Alex's face. She smiled again, but then looked at the carousel once more.

Alex did the same, still unsure what she was looking for here.

"Wait for it… Wait for it… And …There!"

And then Alex saw it. It really was hilarious. There, amongst dozens of little kids, was Ryan Atwood. Barely fitting himself on the pink horse, he was holding a little kid in his arms, while trying to look dignified. Needless to say the last task was impossible to fulfill.

For a moment Alex stared at the sight, completely flabbergasted. Then she started to chuckle softly and soon she was laughing loudly.

Ryan chose that exact moment to look towards them and a sheepish look appeared on his face, as he lifted one of his hands slightly in a silent greeting. Then he disappeared from sight.

"You know, this picture will be etched in my mind forever," Alex spoke, still laughing. "And I mean forever. When I'm dying this will be one of the pictures that will flash before my eyes. "

Marissa smiled, drowning her drink just as the merry-go-round came to a stop.

"C'mon," She spoke, flinging her bag over her shoulder. She grabbed Alex's hand and pulled her with her. "I'll introduce you to Mike and Sophie."

**XxXxXxXxXx  
**  
"No, you didn't!" Ryan groaned, as he made a grab for Marissa's phone. The woman laughed and held it out of his reach.

"What? I'm just saving the memory for the future generations," she spoke merrily, giggling when Ryan lunged at her. "Summer!"

The phone flew over the table and right into the hands of Summer, who laughed, throwing it back at Marissa as soon as Ryan tried to get it from her.

"Guys seriously," he spoke, looking between Summer and Marissa. "Delete it."

"Nope," Marissa replied. "Not going to happen."

Summer shook her head, smiling, as she opened her bag to get out a chocolate bar. Ryan, seeing it as a good moment to strike, turned towards Marissa, a predatory look on his face now.

"Summer!" Marissa yelped, as Ryan approached her slowly. Summer looked up, her mouth filled with chocolate.

"Mhmh?"

"Ryan, no!" Marissa spoke, as the guy begun to advance towards her more quickly, while she backed away. "Ryan, don't come near me."

The man in front of her grinned wolfishly. "Marissa, give me the phone."

"No," Marissa replied, clutching it close. Then she suddenly opened it, wielding it like a weapon. "One more step and my entire contact list will get a copy."

Ryan paused. "Marissa…" And then suddenly he was at her, making a grab for the phone.

Marissa squealed, trying to get away, but since Ryan was a freakishly strong man, escaping appeared to be quite difficult. Then she noticed something. She quickly struggled to release one of her hands. Finally succeeding she threw the phone as hard as she could.

"ALEX!"

Surprised, Alex turned towards the voice, just as a phone almost hit her into her face. Luckily for her nose and it's rather perfect shape, she managed to catch it before it did so.

"Ryan!" Taylor, who was right next to her, yelled. "What are you doing?"

Alex watched as Ryan let go of Marissa, playfully giving her a glare in the process.

She and Taylor then approached the table that Summer was sitting behind and placed their foods on it.

"Alex, give me the phone," Ryan spoke, as soon as he reached her side.

"Don't give it to him," Marissa instantly piped up. Ryan gave her another evil eye. Marissa responded by sticking out her tongue.

"Oh yeah, real mature, Marissa," Ryan spoke, as he picked up his two year old son. "Taylor, where's Bella?"

Taylor, her mouth filled with water, plainly gestured towards the area to their left. Clueless, Ryan looked around.

"Seth took her, Sophie and James to the swings," Alex clarified, plopping down next to Summer. She grabbed a soda from nearby and opened it, shaking her head in amusement when she noticed Summer eating chocolate – again.

Marissa sat down next to Alex, giving apprehensive looks to Ryan while doing so. She then leaned towards Alex slightly, whispering,

"Can I have my phone now?"

Ryan gave her a look, which Marissa pointedly ignored. Alex fished the phone out of her pocket and placed it on Marissa's hand under the table. They shared a grin.

"I can't believe we've been here for so long," Taylor spoke up, biting into her hamburger. "Mm, and I can't believe Mike isn't fussing yet!"

"He's tough. He's an Atwood," Summer spoke as if it would explain everything. "Although we really should head home soon. Sandy wants to have another family dinner."

Ryan and Taylor sighed in unison.

"I am not playing Twister with Sandy again," Ryan spoke up, horrible memories flashing through his head. The 'tough' Atwood shuddered as if in physical pain.

Summer pointed her Snickers at Marissa.

"You're lucky, Coop. You managed to escape from the clutches of the Cohens' family night."

"Yeah, well, everybody has to get lucky sometimes, right?" Marissa smiled softly, as she glanced at the clock. "However I didn't manage to escape the clutches of Sandy. I've got to do a report about the Seattle Grace's big suing spree for tomorrow."

Surprised, Alex turned towards the brunette next to her.

"You're working on the big spree?"

"Again with the sound of shock," Marissa chuckled, as she lifted her cup to her lips, obviously amused. "But yeah, I'm working with it. I didn't specialize on medical law to work with little mishaps, you know."

"Yeah, but still, woah. You've got to be damn good then, right?

"Of course," Marissa made a very pompous face and managed to hold it for an entire five seconds, before both she, Alex and Ryan burst out laughing.

Summer smirked stealthily at the two women sitting across her. Yes, if she played her cards right maybe she could…

"Sum," Marissa frowned at her. "Why are you grinning at us like a lunatic?"

Right, of course… Stealth still wasn't one of Summer's strong sides…

The brunette quickly shook her head, the centerpiece of innocence.

"Nothing. Nothing at all!" She exclaimed, before pretending to drink her mineral water with vigor. Then a moment later she spoke, "Hey, Coop, why won't you take Alex with you on that ride I'm not allowed on?"

Marissa's eyes lit up.

"Yes! Of course, Alex, you'll come right?" She spoke, quickly looking at Alex with pleading eyes. "I don't want to go alone," she pushed her lip into a mock-pout. "And Ryan's too big of a chicken to come…"

"Hey!" Ryan protested.

"Alex, please?" Marissa continued, ignoring Ryan's input.

"That one over there?" Alex asked, incredulous. "You actually want to ride that thing?"

"Yes," Marissa nodded, looking like a kid in the Christmas morning by now, as she rubbed her hands together gleefully. "It'll be fun. Come on. Please?"

Alex looked at the monstrosity at the other side of the amusement park. She hmm-ed as she wrinkled her nose slightly.

"That's one big ride…"

"A-a-alex…"

Marissa blinked innocently managing to achieve a perfect puppy dog pout. Years ago, Alex would've folded immediately at that look. Simply because she couldn't say no to Marissa when she looked at her like that. But she had changed.

She was stronger now.

Marissa continued to look at her, pouting softly.

She had more self-control.

Marissa lowered her head slightly, looking at her through her lashes.

She was stro… Ah damn it.

"Fine," Alex sighed, giving up. "But I'm finishing my burger first."

Well, she had managed to stand her ground for about ten seconds. That's some friggin' progress!

Marissa squealed in a rather un-adultlike fashion and Summer actually managed to sneakily smirk at her without being caught. She glanced at Taylor and the two of them both smirked once again.

The day was looking up.  
**  
XxXxXxXxXx**

"Of course I want to see them," Marissa spoke, as she, Summer and Alex walked out of the amusement park together, following the kids ahead. "It's just that work has been really insane and I haven't had the time yet."

Alex turned to give her a quizzical look.

"Now you listen to punk rock too?" She grinned. "The surprises keep on coming."

"You know, I've always thought it's not the music she goes to check out," Summer chuckled, gaining a curious look from Alex and a roll of eyes from Marissa. "She has a cruuuush."

"I do not!" The woman exclaimed, when Summer continued to chuckle. "Sum, seriously stop laughing at me! I'm not crushing on the lead singer!"

Alex stopped walking as she leant against her car, which they had finally reached. About ten feet away, Seth and Ryan started to usher their kids into the cars. Taylor was already sitting in the black Mercedes, a small boy asleep in her arms.

However, none of this had anything to do with what Alex's brain was processing right now.

"The lead-singer?" She spoke up, rather quietly. But Summer and Marissa, who were engaged in a joking conversation, still heard her perfectly. They paused and turned to look at her questioningly, clearly not understanding what she meant. So she elaborated. "But the lead-singer is a … she. Right?"

There was a small moment of silence and then Summer snorted, disbelief on her features.

"Really, I thought you'd be the last one to be surprised about Coop being into girls," she shook her head, murmuring something about obviousness and attraction as she moved away from the pair without another word to them, heading towards Seth, who had trouble getting their son into the safety seat.

Marissa looked away from Summer's retreating figure and at Alex, analyzing, as she wrapped her arms around herself.

"You're honestly surprised, aren't you?" She finally asked. Alex, who had been staring at the spot far, far away, shifted her eyes onto her.

"Surprised? No… No, not at all."

"Admit it, you're surprised," Marissa insisted slightly. "But – why? I mean," her eyes flickered onto the ground as she tucked a hair behind her ear. "You're pretty much the first one who ever found out I was …"

"I know," Alex spoke up, "And I'm really not that surprised. I guess, I just thought…" She too averted her eyes. "Never mind."

"You thought what?" Marissa was now looking at her again, an unknown look in her eyes. "Alex?"

"It was nothing," the other woman spoke.

Marissa's eyebrow rose, as she approached the other woman with her hands folded. There was a soft edge to her voice as she spoke up.

"What? You thought I got over it? That it was just a phase?"

"Marissa!" Summer yelled from the car. "Come on. We're in a hurry."

"I didn't…" Alex begun defensively, but Marissa didn't let her speak much. She was standing barely a foot away from her now, her green eyes intense. Then she surprised Alex by smiling softly, resignedly even.

"Alex, do you know what´s the biggest problem with being incredibly attracted to someone?"

"MARISSA?!" Summer's voice rang over the parking lot again. "I'm hungry!"

Yet again Marissa ignored her best friend, as she looked at Alex expectedly, obviously waiting for an answer.

"What is it?" Alex's brow furrowed cutely, as she tried to figure out the woman in front of her. The next thing she knew, there was a soft hand on her left cheek and even softer lips on her right one.

The words that Marissa had spoken before walking away rang through Alex's head as she watched her return to her friends.  
_  
"The feeling just won't go away."_

**XxXxXxXxXx**  
**  
A/N** – Haha, here we go, finally some actual Malex in this story :) If you like it, then you could maybe… make good ol' me smile like a **crazy person** by reviewing? I always get enormously happy every time I check the story and there's a review . And when I'm happy I write :) See, it's a win/win situation here!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

_"Uh, hi. I thought you'd be home by now, but I guess not. Either that or you're avoiding me, which I hope you're not doing... Because avoiding me would be bad, because then you probably wouldn't...I mean, the reason I called was to ask... What I mean is that... Ah, you know what, I just called to say hi and to find out if you got home okay. So... call me if you get home and bye."_

The beep signalled the end of the first message. A moment later another one started.

_"Alright, I lied. I actually called because I... Well, you remember what you said back at the amusement park? It made me wonder... I mean, I thought that maybe... Jeez, I sound like a retard, don't I? I knew I should've just waited until you called me back!"_ The woman on the tape sighed loudly, taking a deep breath. _"What I'm trying to say is... that there's this club I know. The Cranberries are playing there this Friday and I was wondering... Do you want to go? With me, I mean. And... And if want you can invite your friends and..."_Another small pause. _"And when hearing this, please remember that I have had the social life of a Siberian monk for a while now. Thanks."  
_  
An other beep and then... quietness.

Marissa stared at the small rectangular machine on the counter, a look of surprise on her face. Her hairbrush lay on the counter near her hand, forgotten for now. She tilted her head, a look of contempt on her face.

Was this too much too soon? Or was this exactly what she had been hoping for?

She paused, self analysing herself. Then she groaned loudly.

Damn it! It was both. Groaning loudly, she realized that she really needed professional help.

A moment later she picked up the phone. Screw professional help, she had something so much better.  
**  
XxXxXxXxXx**

***RING***

She groaned, pulling a pillow over her head, as she warily glanced at the electronic clock on her bedside. She groaned again. It was way too late... or way too early, depending how you looked at it, for anyone to be calling her!

***RING***

She was so going to kick the ass of whoever was calling at this time in the night. The phone kept ringing and finally unable to take it anymore, she removed the pillow from her head, rolled over onto her pregnant stomach and reached for the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Sum!"

Summer groaned for the third time in a minute, as she fell back into the pillows.

"Alright Coop. Who's dying? Because someone better be dying right now! That's the only reason that I'm going to be able to forgive you for."

Marissa laughed, as she rummaged through her fridge, pulling out a frozen pizza. She stared at it, considering her choices, before she threw it onto the kitchen counter. She was starving and the pizza was the quickest option.

"Seriously," Summer complained. "I'm a woman, who needs her beauty sleep."

"Aww, Sum, you're always beautiful."

"Hah, like any amount of flattery will get you out of trouble now," Summer spoke, yawning. "So what's going on? Please tell me it's something worth waking me up for. Please."

Marissa bit her lip, as she threw the pizza into the microwave.

"Mm, I got a message from Alex. She invited me to a club on Friday."

Summer's eyes opened immediately and she squealed, making Seth groan at her side.

"Already?" Summer spoke excitedly. "She already asked you out?"

"See," Marissa frowned, as she leant back against the counter. "I knew you were going to say that. It's too fast isn't it?"

"What?" Summer exclaimed, sitting up now. "No. It's not too soon, not at all. Jeez, Coop, it's Alex. Very hot, doctor Alex. Don't you even think about saying no to a catch like that or I will have you admitted back into the hospital – into the friggin' psych ward!"

"I thought you were **very** sleepy?" Marissa asked, a bit amused, pouring herself some juice while she waited for her pizza.

"Screw sleep," Summer retorted, "My best friend is finally getting a social life! Damn it, Coop, if I had known that it'd take just a certain ex-girlfriend of yours to get you back on track, I would've looked Alex up a while ago and dragged her ass back to you."

"Sum, calm down," Marissa laughed loudly now. "It's not a big deal... It's just a ... get together kind of a thing, I think."

"Your ex-girlfriend called you and asked you out on a Friday night? Just the two of you and you don't think it's a date?" Summer asked, incredulous. "Coop, it hasn't been **that**long since you dated!" She paused. "Well, maybe it is, but..."

"Stop mocking me," Marissa interrupted, still smiling, as she turned off the microwave. "I called for advice not ridiculing."

"Well, it's a joint package so deal with it." Summer grinned in the darkness of the room. "But fine – my advice to you is... Stop bothering your best friend, call Alex and get back on the saddle!"

"It's not a date," Marissa insisted. "She even told me that I could invite you."

"Could, not should, you moron," her best friend replied. "But if she said that, she pretty much gave you the choice whether or not it's going to be a date."

Marissa pulled back her hand from the hot pizza she had reached for, surprised.

"She did?"

Summer sighed, closing her eyes. Though it was 2 am, it had nothing to do with tiredness and everything to do with irritation.

"Coop, use your oversized brains for once."

"Oh my god," Marissa muttered, staring at the pizza as if it was going to eat her. "She did, didn't she?" Then... "Why would she do that? I can't decide! How can she expect me to decide! What am I going to do?"

"It's easy," Summer very helpfully said. "You call her and say that you'll go – alone."

"But..."

"Coop, I'm serious. You're going to go on that date with Alex."

"But it's too quick!" Marissa exclaimed. "I mean the last time we kinda moved on quickly and then blam, there was nobody to move on with, because Alex left the city! This is too quick. It has to be too quick, because we're doing this too quickly and it... it seems..."

"If you say quick, I'm going to kick your ass," Summer interrupted. "It's not too quick. It's a date, Coop! You're not getting married or anything. God, I remember when you used to have dates all the time. I practically had to drag you to the car to assure you even got home and now..."

Summer's voice got a dangerous edge suddenly.

"If you don't go on that date with Alex, I will hunt you down and... bring cats with me! Cats, Coop! CATS! Lots of little hairy meowing cats!"

A silence followed as Marissa swallowed a mouthful of water. Then she spoke quietly,

"So it's not too quick?"

"Oh my god! Just call her! NOW!"

Seth mumbled in his sleep, turning to his side.

"Summer," he mumbled. "Shhh, I'm trying to sleep."

"Shhh yourself," Summer retorted, "I'm on the phone here!" She then spoke into the receiver. "But Coop, listen to me. I know you're worried about this being too quick, but it's not. You two were always good together."

"We were?" Marissa's tone was hesitant and even at 2 am Summer could realize that.

"Yeah," she reassured her, her own tone serious now. "Listen, I know I didn't cheer for your relationship a lot at the time, but even I – the girl who lived for shoes ... and fine, still kinda does - knew that you two just ... worked, you know? I really was happy for you, because I saw what you two had. You were always so damn cheerful when she was around. You had that effect on each other and, jeez Coop, from what I've seen through these last two weeks, you still do."

"So, I'm seriously telling you to just give it a chance," Summer added, "I doubt you'll regret it."

There was a long pause on the line and Summer briefly wondered if Marissa had even heard her damn heartfelt speech, but then the other woman sighed.

"What would I do without you, Sum?"

"Spend a fortune on a psychiatrist," her best friend answered nonchalantly.

Marissa laughed, as she stabbed her pizza with her fork.

"You know what. I'll do it! I'm going to all Alex first thing in the morning!" She paused. "Thanks, Summer."

"No problem," the brunette replied, "It'll work out perfectly, you'll see. Even if I have to kill someone to make sure it does."

Marissa smiled, knowing that her friend was serious.

It was good to have friends like that.  
**  
-Almost a week later, a morning in New Jersey-**

"No, no, no, no," Alex murmured to herself, banging her head against the wall repeatedly. Kutner paused on his way to his patient and turned towards her, sounding concerned.

"What's wrong?"

Alex stared at her.

"A friggin' game is what's wrong! The whole week has been completely boring and then today House suddenly decides to do an elimination based on a thong!"

Barely five minutes ago, House had told them about "the game". The rules were simple – steal the thong of Lisa Cuddy and do not get caught while doing it. If you managed to do it, you got immunity on the elimination and the chance to choose two of your opponents, one of whom would surely get kicked out of the competition.

And if Amber actually managed to pull it off, Alex was totally screwed.

Also there was the fact that her entire day would be filled with the challenge – it didn't matter whether or not she chose to actively participate, because everybody else probably did. And since there was also the elimination after the usual end of their shift... She was pretty sure she wouldn't make it to the Cranberries tonight. And overall it all pissed her off.

"Well..." Kutner scratched the back of his head, staring at his colleague and not understanding what was going on at all. But he still tried to be helpful. "At least there's something interesting to do... Oh and if I'm right, we also have a difficult mystery at our hands!"

Alex groaned, hitting her head against the wall again.

"Damn it."

Kutner frowned.

"Are you okay?" he asked, "Because we should go to check my patient, but if you want..."

"No," Alex pushed herself away from the wall, gesturing for him to go. "I'm fine. I'll just make a little phone call and I'll catch up with you, okay?"

"Alright," Kutner replied, still confused, as he started to walk away. "Room 332."

Alex raised her hand in acknowledgment and then fished out her cell phone from her pocket. She paused, as she leant against the wall nearby. She knew Marissa was at work, so the home number was out of the question. She probably wouldn't get the message in time if things got crazy at the office again. Her cell...

She dialled the number and waited for a bit. No response. She wasn't picking up, so she was probably in a meeting or something.

Then, an incredible smart – or absolutely stupid – idea came to her mind. Summer lived like a block away, didn't she? And she even had her number! She quickly dialled, aware that somewhere in the hospital Kutner was probably waiting for her.

"Oh, hi Summer. It's me Alex... Listen... I may not be able to go to the club tonight..."

**XxXxXxXxXx  
**  
House flipped around the two cards in his hand. The magician, who he had previously believed to be just a screw up, seemed to actually be sick. Ah, bugger.

"A nosebleed that serious, means that he's actually sick," he voiced his thoughts, aware that Kutner, who had believed that since last night, was smirking at him. "Stop gloating," he commanded.

"I'm not gloating," Kutner immediately responded, the grin remaining on her face.

"Then what's that smirk?"

"It's not a smirk, it's how I look," Kutner defended himself.

Alex grinned into her cup of coffee, shaking her head softly. House opened his mouth, probably to make a comment on Kutner's very feminine smirk or something, when suddenly yelling could be heard.

About ten seconds later the door to their small conference was thrown open and one very pissed off Lisa Cuddy stomped in, instantly heading towards House.

"YOU!" She yelled, inches away from him and shoving her finger practically into his face. "I know it was you!"

House stared at her for a moment, then looked down from her face a bit and then up at her again.

"Not that I do not enjoy having your obviously braless breasts practically in my face, because everybody knows that I do," Cuddy scoffed, but pulled away instantly, her arm covering her chest slightly, "But what the hell are you talking about?"

"You sent them!" Cuddy insisted, sure of it. "They ... They practically molested me! International Massage Union my ass! How could you humiliate me like that?"

"And so I repeat – What the hell are you talking about?" House spoke, raising an eyebrow.

Cuddy's brows furrowed and she tilted her head,

"You honestly don't know what I'm talking about?"

House blinked, a smirk on his face yet again, as he surveyed her disgruntled state.

"I'm starting to wish that I did, but I'm ashamed to admit that this time it wasn't me."

Cuddy's eyes bore into his own, before she finally sighed.

"I'm going to find out whose joke was this and then I'm going to fire their asses!"

With that she turned around on her heel and stomped out of the room and into the hallway. The Fellows as well as House watched as she spoke to the security guard and then they both took off, heading left.

There was a moment of silence, during which everybody got a chance to look properly bewildered, when suddenly somebody ran into the room.

Alex practically chocked on her coffee, as she turned to see who they were. Kutner, being as friendly as ever hit her on the back several times, until Alex swatted his hand away, her eyes still on the two men near the door.

Two rather naked and rather familiar men.

"Alright, what is going on in here and why am I left out?" House spoke, staring at the newcomers as well.

Seth Cohen very smoothly moved his hand with the white box he was holding in front of his crotch, while raising up his other one in greeting.

"Hello," he mumbled and Alex could swear she saw a small blush on his cheeks. Finally having recovered enough from the shock and able to breath again without tasting coffee in her nose, she could comprehend many things.

First of, Seth Cohen and Ryan Atwood were at the hospital she worked, wearing nothing more than pairs of red thongs. Secondly, Seth was carrying a small package and thirdly... they were both looking at her.

Damn.

Well, she could just pretend she didn't know them at all...

"My friend!" Seth greeted her, looking obviously relieved at seeing the familiar face.

...Or not.

Alex nodded curtly, avoiding the feeling of everybody's eyes on her. Of all the things she had expected from today... this was nowhere on the list. She looked at him and she was forced to admit that the man had filled out quite good. Wait, no, no checking out Seth! Concentrate brain!

Concentrate!

"W-what are you doing here?" Hah, a full sentence. Good job, brain.

"Ah, we we're sent here by a... friend," It wasn't Seth who spoke, it was Ryan. Alex's eyes flittered onto him and immediately she decided Ryan had been working out – a lot. Then she scolded herself mentally for getting off track again.

How the hell had she gotten through med school?

"Yeah," Seth nodded, fidgeting under the hungry look that Amber sent him. "We were pretty much forced into this. There wasn't anything we could do to stop her."

"She's insane," Ryan nodded vehemently. "And she got Taylor involved! They promised to make us sleep on the couches if we didn't do this."

Seth squealed as Amber winked at him, before he gave a panicking look at Alex.

"They're worried about their best friend and they think you're the perfect solution. Here, she ordered me to give you this," he hesitantly threw her the package.

"Wait," Alex caught the package, confused. "Who would be insane enough to force you to wear..."

"COHEN!"

Heads turned as the door to the small room flew open once again. A brunette woman walked in and Alex groaned. Damn it, she knew calling her was a baad, baaaaad idea.

"Sum, we did it, no need to be angry, love," Seth instantly spoke up, apologetic. "Besides that running into the nurses' office was a complete coincidence which didn't happen again! See, we found her!"

Summer looked at Alex and nodded.

"Hey."

"Hi," Alex replied, confused beyond words. What the hell was going on here?

Summer then turned towards Seth and Ryan.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, but there's a reason I'm here."

"What is it?" Ryan turned around, before realizing what he was exposing to the rest of the room. Instantly he turned his backside back towards the wall again, mumbling something under his breath about wives, best friends and stupid matchmaking.

"Well," Summer begun, but stopped when suddenly yells could be heard. As if in slow motion, the three people, who didn't work in the hospital, turned. Through the big glass wall, they could see Cuddy running towards them, followed by a bulky man – the security guard and two other men.

Summer's eyes widened comically as she turned to stare at the two almost naked men. Then she yelled,

"RUUUUUN!"

And they ran. Summer running ahead, her feet pattering, as she exceeded speeds that no normal pregnant woman could. Seth and Ryan followed her out, their butt cheeks flashing as they ran for their lives, Cuddy and the Security right after them.

"GET BACK HERE WITH MY CLOTHES!"

Cuddy's screams could be heard for a while, even after she disappeared from sight yet again.

There was a long silence in the room after that. It was only interrupted, when suddenly Alex ripped the package open. A letter fell out and she picked it up, opened it and begun to read, for now ignoring the rest of the package.  
_  
"Dear Alex,"_ It begun.  
_  
"Summer just ran into my meeting, demanding that I had to write this to you. I think she's going to do something incredibly crazy and I'm sorry for whatever it is she has done. She's insane and I have nothing to do with whatever happened. Unless you liked it of course, in which case I came up with it :).  
So I heard you wanted to cancel tonight. Summer says you won't, because she'll "fix" it. I'm slightly afraid now, but still I'm also glad that we're still going out.  
I'm looking forward to seeing you and I think if today works out, it'll be my duty to buy you dinner to make up for whatever Summer might've done to you and or your friends."_

_"From Coop"_That was scribbled in a slightly different handwriting and with a black pen instead of a blue one. A small grin on her face, Alex reread the lines, when suddenly...

"So who's Coop? Your boyfriend?"

Alex looked to her left, quickly snatching the letter towards herself as she noticed Kutner craning his neck and reading her letter.

"None of your business," She replied.

"You have a boyfriend?" House asked, appearing surprised. "I thought doctors like you didn't have a private life."

Alex just wrinkled her nose slightly, ignoring the comment. But something nagged on her. Summer was going to "Fix" it... Massage Union... Cuddy and her clothes... Seth and Ryan...

"Oh my god," Alex murmured, quickly snatching the package from the table again. Then seeing what she had expected, she paused. "No... God, Summer..." She slowly pulled out a red bra, which she threw onto the table. A black skirt followed and then...

"No," Amber muttered, horrified. "Oh no."

Alex threw red thongs onto the table and looked at House, who didn't appear as surprised as everybody else; either he had figured it out already or he was damn good at hiding his surprise.

"Ode to Cuddy."

Alex stared at the thongs, a small smile forming on her lips. Oh, the day had just gotten a whole lot better.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

**A/N** – So I was told to hold back on the whole - Gimme reviews people! Gimme, Gimme, Gimme! thing. So I'm doing it and**I am NOT reminding you** that the reviews I read make me enormously happy and I DO NOT in fact check the review count five times every day, reading all comments carefully while grinning like a lunatic. So yeah, not doing that today. Sorry guys, maybe next time though :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Alex was moving through the hallways, heading to a room that was rarely used nowadays so she could possibly poison her employer. Hah, at least nobody could ever say that her job wasn't interesting.

She paused as a shiver ran through her hand, making it tremble slightly. Her brow furrowed as she stared at it. Something was wrong with her. She had a diploma that said that she had gone through enough courses to know when something was wrong with someone and now... Her hand trembled slightly again. She clenched it into a fist, slightly worried.

***Trrrrrr***

She almost jumped when her back pocket vibrated suddenly, letting her know that somebody wanted to talk to her. She took out the phone, forgetting the tremors for now as she started to move towards the elevator again – after all she did have a boss to poison.

"Hello?"

"Hey."

Alex slowed down a bit, a smile on her lips now.

"Well if it isn't my knight in shining armour..." She begun, but that was all she could say before...

"Oh, you're talking to Coop, huh?"

Shocked, Alex looked to her left. Surprisingly, once again Kutner managed to squeeze himself and his sheepish smirk into her private life. Like seriously!

She placed the phone against her shoulder blade, glaring at Kutner.

"Private conversation here!"

"Sorry, sorry," the man grinned. "Just heard you were going to give that blood transfusion to House and I wanted to ask if I could tag along."

"No."

"I just want to help, so pleeeaasee?"

"No, go away," Alex couldn't help but grin a bit at the pleading look she got. "Kutner, I'm serious – Besides, weren't you supposed to be... Oh, wait!" She narrowed her eyes. "You're doing this because I have the right to eliminate you, aren't you?!"

Kutner managed to look so innocent that Alex could practically imagine the little golden halo above his head, as he spoke,

"Noooo! Of course not," suddenly he pulled out a coffee cup and a bagel from behind his back. "Want a snack?"

"Kutner, seriously, go away," Alex laughed. However she did grab the bagel anyways. She was starving!

"Fine," Kutner mumbled. "But you cannot blame me for trying!" Then he leant in, towards the phone and yelled. "Hey, Coop, your girlfriend is awesome and beautiful and smart and overall great and..."

"KUTNER!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm going," Kutner raised his hands in defeat, stalking away mumbling under his breath. Then he spoke over his shoulder. "Amber hates you!"

Alex shook her head, rather amused, as she placed the phone back into her ear just to hear soft laughter coming from it.

"Sorry about that," she apologized as she entered the elevator.

"No problem," Marissa chuckled. "Besides, it's nothing I didn't know before."

Before Alex could even catch the hidden compliment, the other woman added,

"But how come he knew it was me anyways?"

Alex replied with one word that summarized everything better than any other word ever could.

"Summer."

"Ah," Marissa sighed at the other end of the line and Alex could hear papers rustling. "The Seattle case is killing me. Literally. By drowning me with papers, papers and yes, right you are, my dear, more papers!"

Alex laughed at the exasperated tone of Marissa's voice.

"Are you okay?"

Marissa sighed again, before responding.

"You know, I should be the one asking you that." A chuckle escaped Marissa's lips once again. "I haven't heard from her yet and since I know she must have done something... Do I even dare to ask what it was?"

Alex zigzagged through the crowded hallways heading towards the cabinet she was supposed to meet House in. She responded, narrowly dodging a collision with a cartful of bedpans.

"Well, it's a long story, but if you're still interested in buying me dinner to make up for what Summer did..."

"It's going to cost me all the money I have, right?" Marissa's tone was joking and yet wary at the same time.

"No," Alex laughed quietly. "Actually, if you're interested in dinner... You know, after tonight, then it should be my treat. Summer really helped me out... in her, uh, special way."

"Her special way, huh? You know what, I'm not even going to ask right now," Marissa replied a moment later. "I just wanted to know if our d... Well, if we're still on for tonight?"

"Yeah," Alex murmured, pausing behind the door to the room where House was in. "I'll be there. I might run a bit late if this case isn't figured out soon, but I'll definitely be there."

"Oh. That's great and..." Marissa fell quiet for a moment and then a moment later Alex could hear someone else speak. About ten seconds later, Marissa spoke, "Listen, I got to run. Apparently there's even more paperwork for me to look at!"

" Alright, I should get back to work too," Alex replied. Then hesitantly. "I'll see you at the club?"

"See you there."

A grin on her face, Alex opened the door to the cabinet. It was a bit dark in there, but as she reached for the switch, a voice spoke up,

"Do not turn on the lights. I like the gloomy atmosphere we have going on here."

Surprised, she looked into the corner of the room. House sat there, comfortable in a chair and munching on what appeared to be chocolate chip cookies. An IV-line was already inserted into his vein.

"You were taking too long," he explained, as he took another bite. Alex didn't respond as she moved to check the bag of blood they were transferring him. As she did so, House looked for any weird signs. Through the day he had noticed her unusual behaviour and the trembles and had even cornered her once about it, but she had denied everything. But House wasn't known for being the one to give up on something.

"I have a new theory," he explained suddenly. "You're not stubborn. You're not getting yourself checked 'cause you already know the answer." He paused. "I found an old picture in your wallet."

Alex walked away from the IV, giving him a look that told him exactly what she thought about him 'accidentally' finding anything.

"Of course you did," She replied.

"I wasn't snooping," House protested. "I just needed lunch money and Wilson has been hiding his wallet from me ever since I borrowed some of his money to pay to a friend of mine."

"A hooker?"

"That's beside the point," House replied. "I found a picture. I figured it's your mom, except she looks about 32 years old. The only reason not to update a picture in so many years is if she's not talking to you – which would be interesting or she's dead – which would also be interesting."

He stared at Alex, taking another bite from his cookie, while the woman checked his pulse.

"She's dead?"

Alex stood up and moved away from him and towards the table with the supplies by the wall.

"You're pretty young to have a dead mom," House begun, but Alex interrupted him, turning around.

"My mother isn't dead," she spoke, placing a few papers on the table near House. "As far as I know she's still alive and kickin'."

House looked at her for a while, as if trying to decide whether or not she was lying. Then, taking yet another thoughtful bite out of his heavenly cookie, he asked,

"So she's not talking to you?"

"I was kicked out of home when I was seventeen," Alex commented, looking at House's vitals again. "Haven't seen her since."

"Intriguing," House tilted his head. "So what happened?"

"That's none of your business," the woman replied, clenching her fist as her hand once again trembled slightly. She was starting to get beyond worried by now.

"Tremors, huh?"

She threw House a look.

"I'm fine."

"Yeah, I know, just hopped up on caffeine."

Another look, this one filled with questions.

"What?!"

"Wait, so you hadn't figured it out yet?" House asked, shaking his head as he devoured another chocolate chip cookie. "I'm really disappointed in you, Thirteen."

"Okay, I repeat – What?!"

"You're the only one on the team that drinks decaf," her boss spoke matter-of-factly. "But I've been switching it out for regular ever since you dropped that file. You're trembling because you're hopped up on caffeine. The first file wasn't my fault. Medical explanation for that is... People drop things."

Alex stared at him in shock.

"Why would you do that?!" She exclaimed a moment later. "I've been walking around the whole day, thinking I'm seriously ill! I've been worrying my butt off and now..."

She was getting worked up, ready to kick House's ass for making her worry like hell, when suddenly something else caught her attention, distracting her from her fury for time being.

"House, you're sweating."

House's brow furrowed, as Alex placed her hand on his forehead.

"You're burning up." She stared at him. "You're sick."

And so begun the road to actually solving the problem their patient had. It involved a bit of bondage between Alex and House, a long discussion and yet another epiphany from House, but eventually the case was solved. And that led to nothing other than the elimination.

Alex told House who she nominated, gathered her things and took off. The elimination took place without her present and Cole was sent packing. House gave him a heartfelt, logical reason, that even the brightest of minds in the universe had to agree with.

Amber was just better to look at than he was.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

She grinned, looking around the nightclub she had just entered. This was her kind of scenery. The place wasn't large – not at all. Instead it was a small, very well decorated place with a couple of tables here and there, a large bar and a stage, which already had the Cranberries on it.

Hell, the whole place could've been a big dumpster for all she cared if the Cranberries were there!

She smiled at some people as she brushed past them, looking around for her... date? Was she her date? We're they dating? Again?

Not sure of the answers, she continued to look. A few minutes later she gave up, deciding to wait for her by the bar. However that's when she noticed her.

She was already there, sitting behind the bar, chatting with the bartender. Her brown hair was in organized disarray so to speak, with lonesome strands falling out of her haircut, framing her face perfectly and her eyes twinkled as she laughed.

Damn, she really was incredibly beautiful.

A small smile on her lips, she approached the woman. However, someone else noticed her before Marissa did.

"Alex!" The bartender called out, "Long time no see!"

A grin broke out as she turned towards the man.

"Mike!" She greeted him, aware that the woman barely a metre away turned to look at her immediately. Her eyes fluttered to hers briefly and they both smiled, before Mike caught Alex's attention once again, as he spoke up.

"Fine," He replied to her earlier question, throwing the towel on his shoulder. "I've missed you, but you know, I can accept the fact that you have to work and don't have time for a social life..."

"Actually," Alex interrupted, turning to look at him again. "I took your advice and I actually have a, um, thing tonight – with somebody."

Mike paused, frowning.

"Seriously? You have a date?"

"Yeah, I guess you can call it that," Alex mumbled, suddenly very aware of the woman nearby listening in.

"Seriously?!" Mike stared at her. "Alex, you are aware that while I was trying to pressure you into dating again, I was referring to good ol' me, right?"

He shook his head, clearly exasperated. However a grin appeared on his face soon, as he looked at Marissa.

"Hey, Marissa!" He exclaimed, looking at her. "My new great friend! You're an incredibly hot, successful woman yourself! Could you please tell my friend here that I'm a total hunk and that she should've so taken the chance when it was given to her?"

"I'd love to, Mike," Marissa replied, as she gazed at the woman nearby, while tracing her finger over the rim of her glass. "But you could say I was a bit... biased in this situation." Her eyes locked with Alex's and she smiled softly. "Hey."

"Hey yourself," Alex murmured, a dazzling grin starting to appear on her lips. "You look... incredible."

Marissa's soft smile remained, as she responded.

"Well, you don't look bad either. Actually," she bit her bottom lip gently. "You look pretty damn amazing."

"Did I keep you waiting for long?" Alex frowned, appearing to be concerned.

"Nah, I've only been here for about ten minutes," Marissa replied, before nodding to Mike. "Besides he kept me company."

"Woah, hold on here," Mike stared at them with wide eyes, which kept flicking between the two extremely good looking ladies in his bar tonight. He finally rested his eyes on Marissa. "You're her...?"

"I'm her date," Marissa spoke without hesitation as she picked up her handbag and stood. She brushed her lips against Alex's cheek a moment later and once she pulled away, she spoke, "It's great to see you again."

"Likewise," Alex responded, smiling sheepishly. She gestured towards the general area where the tables were. "Do you want to sit down somewhere?"

"Sure, I'll go find us a slightly quieter spot," she grinned. "I still want to hear what the hell did my best friend do today, remember?"

Alex nodded and Marissa brushed past her heading into the crowd. She looked after her for a moment, but then noticed her friend staring at her.

"What?"

"You've been hanging out in here whenever you could for months!" Mike exclaimed. "And you never once thought to mention the fact you were into girls?"

"Well, you didn't ask," Alex defended herself.

Mike shook his head as he pulled out a bottle and handed it to the other bartender – the one who actually worked while he just stood there chatting to hot chicks.

"But, now I can forgive you," the guy spoke a moment later. When Alex only gave him a confused look, he clarified. "For choosing her over me. Hell, I would choose her over me!"

Alex smiled at him, as they both surveyed how Marissa moved through the crowds with grace and skill, not once bumping into anyone.

"Oh yeah," Mike murmured. "I'd definitely tap..."

He didn't get any farther, because already Alex had snatched the towel from his shoulder and thrown it into his face.

"Perv," she snapped. However the grin on her face clearly showed that she didn't disagree with him completely...

**XxXxXxXxXx**

**A/N** – Yeah, anyways I'm not sure what'll happen after this. Do you want more details about the club thingy? Or maybe I should just cut the chase and skip it? Hmm... I'm torn :D So, I hope you like it and remember that a review is a writer's best friend... (Some say it's a dog, but come on, people! We all know dogs cannot tell you that they like how you write ... Seriously...)


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N – **This chapter is dedicated to my dear friend SleepWalks, who is my total inspiration tonight and because of whom I was up all night today – reading, singing stupid songs and WRITING. Without her there would be no 9th Chapter, so I owe her a biiiig hug. Love ya, My Bed-Mate :)****

Chapter 9

Marissa almost chocked on the drink she had been swallowing. With wide eyes she placed the cocktail onto the table with a small clink, staring at the brunette next to her in utter shock. By the expression on her face you would think someone had just told her that sky was green with little shiny purple polka dots.

"NO!"

"Yeah," Alex confirmed, a grin on her face as she sneaked some more peanuts out of Marissa's bowl.

"Red G-Strings? As in... RED G-STRINGS?!" Marissa repeated, not able to believe it.

"Yep, very teeny-tiny red strings," Alex nodded, the grin widening. "Trust me, it was a chase you have never seen."

Marissa laughed, her voice melodious as she shook her head.

"Seriously I spent a good part of the afternoon wondering what my crazy best friend could do, but honestly, THAT was nowhere on the list!"

"Tell me about it!" Alex exclaimed, "I almost died of shock right then and there. Seth Cohen and Ryan Atwood in G-strings isn't a sight I expected to see... Ever!"

Marissa lifted her drink to her lips.

"Ryan in G-strings..." She murmured, grinning widely, before sipping her cocktail once again and looking at the stage. Alex, leant back into her seat, as she stole some more peanuts from Marissa.

"So," the doctor stroke up a conversation again. "How did you and Ryan end up not being together anyways?"

Surprised Marissa looked at her.

"What do you mean?"

Alex suddenly felt very self-conscious and cursed herself for bringing up RYAN friggin' ATWOOD right now. But then again, she was known for living with her one foot in her mouth most of the time...

"Sorry, it's just that you two always seemed to be like... made for each other or something."

Oops, now she managed to put her other foot into her mouth as well. Isn't this date just going great?!

Yes, sarcasm has always been Alex Kelly's personal friend.

Marissa just raised an eyebrow at her, obviously wanting her to explain. Alex sighed, rubbing the back of her neck, very uncomfortable now.

"Well.... You kinda were this couple that always managed to get together and then suddenly you didn't get together anymore and I just thought I'd..." she paused. What the friggin' hell?! Did she have like three feet?!

However before Alex could start pleading for all Powers that Be that the earth opened up and swallowed her whole, Marissa chuckled. Surprised, Alex looked at her.

"Seriously, everybody from Harbour Days seems to keep asking me that!"

"Really?"

"Yeah, really," Marissa smiled, before rolling her eyes. "But do you really want to talk about Ryan right now? Because I think I could, but..." she gave her a look. "I really, really like this song."

Alex looked at her, a smile spreading across her own features.

"Wanna dance?"

Marissa grinned back, as she pushed her drink away and stood up, offering her hand to Alex. As soon as she grabbed it and stood up, Marissa replied, intertwining their fingers.

"I'd love to."

**XxXxXxXxXx**

Marissa laughed, as she leant against the girl next to her, who was practically vibrating with laughter as well. She then looked at the man in front of her.

"Then what happened?"

"Well, what the hell do you think that happened?!" Mike exclaimed, as he pulled a towel out of nowhere, brandishing it like a weapon. "I pushed her... HIM off me faster than fucking lightning and considered getting myself some friggin' professional help!"

Alex was in stitches, grasping her stomach as she laughed loudly. She didn't remember laughing like this since... well one hell of a long time. She glanced at Marissa, who was flushed from their previous dancing and the constant laughing from now. As if feeling her eyes on her, Marissa glanced towards her and grinned.

"Alex," She spoke, pausing and sounding rather serious suddenly, as she gave her a quick look over. "There isn't something you want to tell me, right?"

"Like what?" Alex asked, tilting her head.

"I don't know... Maybe about some 'hidden equipment'..."

The women locked eyes before both burst out laughing loudly. Mike scoffed at them before throwing his towel at Marissa's head, who only laughed a tad bit harder because of it.

"Okay, that's it, you're both being officially kicked out of my bar now!" He folded his hands staring at them.

"You can't do that," Alex protested with a smirk. "Your uncle owns this place, you're just a bartender!"

"Hey, I resent to that. I'm a bar _manager_," Mike spoke, "Besides look around. It's three am and I was supposed to close very early tonight. Everybody else is already GONE!"

"Yeah, but we're special," Marissa grinned, as she downed her last drink. "C'mon, I'm sorry. I won't mock your darkest secret again."

"No, I won't forgive you," Mike replied, before he grinned, obviously having thought of something. "Unless... Alex, what was that about you two being together before?"

Alex stared at him.

"PERV!" Once again something was thrown at Mike. This time, luckily for him, it was just a peanut. He smirked, raising his hands in a sign of surrender.

"I'm a guy, what do you expect from me?!" He grinned. "At least I tried. But seriously, guys. Not that I don't like having you around, but it's time I got home."

"Yeah, I should start driving home," Marissa admitted, nodding softly.

Immediately two heads turned towards her.

"You want to drive?" Mike asked. "What are you, a psycho?!"

Alex laughed softly.

"Seriously, Riss, driving... not a good idea right now."

"I didn't drink that much," Marissa reasoned, "I mean I do know my limits and..."

"And I'm not letting you into a car," Alex replied, "You can take a taxi ..."

"And then take a taxi back to New Jersey from New York tomorrow, so I could pick up my car?" Marissa raised an eyebrow questioningly.

Mike hmm-ed.

"Obviously you're not drunk enough not to be reasonable..."

"See," Marissa gestured at herself. "I'm good enough to drive," she insisted.

Alex threw a hand over her shoulder, which was an easy feat considering the girl was already leaning against her slightly.

"I'm not letting you drive, seriously."

"Alex..."

"Riss, listen to me," Alex took hold of Marissa's chin and tilted it so she would look at it. "Please, don't. I've seen enough results of people driving while intoxicated to last a lifetime and I don't want anything to happen to you."

Marissa stared into her clear blue eyes, painfully aware of the soft hand that had a gentle hold on her face.

"But..." she protested weakly.

"Marissa..."

"Fine," Marissa sighed, folding. Alex smiled at her and removed her hand. Marissa folded hers over her chest. "But what do you propose I do then, huh? Cause the whole take a taxi home plan has lots of holes in it."

Alex scratched the back of her ear.

"My place?" She offered.

"Your place?" Marissa repeated softly, her voice wavering a bit. She was probably starting to feel the alcohol a bit – she hadn't drunk a lot, but she did feel a bit... dizzy. "I thought we we're taking things... you know... slow?"

Alex locked her eyes with Marissa's.

"We are, but I don't want you to drive home. I do have a couch you know and," she reached over and tucked a stray hair behind Marissa's hair, this time letting her hand linger. "And then I wouldn't have to stay up very late worrying about you getting home in one piece and...and..." Alex stopped speaking, her eyes shifting between Marissa's lips and her eyes constantly. She swallowed nervously.

Marissa stared back at her, her tongue darting out to wet her lips timidly. Unconsciously she inched closer to the brunette sitting next to her. Alex's eyes softened a bit as her hand slid onto Marissa's face, cupping it very gently as she too leant in. Eyes fluttered and Marissa felt her breath hitch. She was slightly tipsy, but not enough to not realize what was about to happen.

CRASH!

The two of them flew apart, both staring at Mike, who was standing behind the counter, having just dropped a bottle onto the ground.

"NO!" He groaned, as he looked at them springing apart. "Please, ignore that and get back to whatever you were doing before I SO RUDELY interrupted you. Come on? Pretty please?"

Alex withdrew her hand and Marissa gave him a small grin, as she shook her head at him.

"Perv."

"Yeah, well, still a man here," Mike replied sighing, knowing he had just ruined something that could've been the highlight of his friggin' month! He crouched to pick up the bottle he had dropped, while Marissa turned to look at Alex.

"Umm, are you sure your place is a good idea?"

Alex bit her lips softly for a split-second, before nodding decisively.

"Yeah, it really is." A small smile played on her lips as she leant over and whispered. "If we can play by the rules and take it slow that is."

"Yeah," Marissa murmured back. "In that case, whispering... Yeah, not that big of a help."

They both laughed, the tension between them fading.

"Besides," Alex added, shrugging. "It's not like you have a lot of choices, considering..."

Mike's face popped out from behind the counter with a huge grin on it.

"Marissa can always stay with me," he quickly inserted and wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Alex gave Marissa a look. They both stood up in synchronization and grabbed their things.

"Gotta go now," Marissa spoke, laughing when Mike pouted at her. "Maybe I'll come by sometimes."

"Not alone you won't," Alex spoke up, grinning at Mike. "Can't leave you unprotected from that Perv."

"Love you too, Kelly!" Mike sniped, grinning as he waved after them with a white towel. As soon as the door closed he threw the towel onto the counter.

"Damn it, the hot ones are always TAKEN!"

**XxXxXxXxXx**

A/N – Review button is getting little spiderwebs on it. To clean it you have to press it. Once it's sparkling clean I shall dare to use this page again :D I'm afraid of spiders!

"Hey," Alex replied, as it was after all appropriate to answer. "I'm pretty sure you have enough proof


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N** – Hey, guys. Sorry I haven't updated lately, but I'm doing it now, right? So thanks for all of your reviews and alerts, I'm honestly flattered and I hope this one doesn't suck as much as I'm afraid it does.

Enjoy.  
**  
CHAPTER 10**

"There is no way I'm going to let you do that!" Marissa exclaimed, folding her arms over her chest and staring at the brunette right in front of her. The TV behind them was on and some characters from Grey's Anatomy were bustling around, but since both were busy staring at each other, neither of them cared.

"My house, my rules," Alex responded, turning towards her slightly. She had already changed her clothes and was now standing in front of the other girl only clad in a white wife beater and black shorts.

Damn it! Yet again, Marissa found herself looking somewhere she shouldn't as soon as Alex shifted. Flushing slightly, she quickly looked away, hoping Alex hadn't noticed her staring. Again. She shook herself mentally, trying to rid herself from the moronic ADD that always seemed to accompany her as soon as she had a drink or two.

God, with her current thoughts you'd think she was a teenaged boy or something! And she was the one… Oh, wait. ADD again.

Marissa looked back up at Alex, glad that the brunette seemed to be unaware of her inner pervert and tried to continue their small squabble without concentrating on the other woman's clothing. Or well the lack of them actually.

"Exactly. It's your house!" She spoke up, gesturing around slightly, before looking at the brunette again. "Which means I am definitely not kicking you out of your own bed!"

"Hello? You're not throwing me out from anywhere. It's more like I'm dragging _you_ into my bed!" Alex spoke, exasperated. Then she paused and her eyes met Marissa's suddenly amused ones. "You know what I mean!"

"Listen, I know you got this incredibly important meeting or something in the evening and since I only plan to be lazy today, you obviously need sleep more," Alex tone was reasoning, until a smirk appeared on her face. Suddenly she plopped down onto the couch nearby. "And with that I declare this couch mine."

"But..."

"Declared, Marissa!"

She gave her a teasing grin before settling into the couch with a small yawn. And then she stretched.

One would think stretching is an innocent thing, but right now, stretching was just evil. Sadistic even. From Marissa's point of view anyways.

The way the very formfitting top rose upwards as the brunette arched her back slightly. The way more and more of a very lean stomach was revealed and the way the now visible muscles clenched. It was all seriously… evil.

"Mm," the sound of contentment that escaped the lips of the brunette on the couch finally dragged Marissa's attention away from her bare stomach.

Alex opened her eyes again to find Marissa looking at her. Not just looking at her, but really _looking _at her. Suddenly a tad bit self-conscious, she murmured a gentle. "What?"

"Oh…" Marissa blinked softly, before quickly looking away. "Nothing. I'm – I'm just going to grab that quick shower now," she picked up the change of clothes Alex had put on the table earlier and then tried to make a quick exit.

"Marissa?"

Alex's voice got to her just as she was about to enter the bathroom nearby. She placed her things onto the cupboard in the bathroom, before glancing over her shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"So, I get the couch?"

A small smile appeared on Marissa's face.

"Come on, Alex, you know me better than that."

Slowly, she hooked her fingers under the hem of her top. With one smooth movement, it was off, revealing her bare back and for a split second, maybe something else, to Alex. Holding the item against her chest, she glanced over her shoulder again, grinning softly, when she found Alex staring at her.

"Don't you?"

And then she entered the bathroom, closing the door after herself.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

Alex Kelly was lying on her couch staring at the ceiling. You'd think that after spending a busy day at the hospital, followed by a long night in a bar, she'd be asleep the moment she had the chance. But no, instead she was here, having an epiphany.

She had just figured out the great mystery why it is that people, who spend a night here, never want to do it again.

This couch seriously sucked.

How she hadn't noticed that teeny fact before she didn't know, but it really did suck. Sighing, she turned onto her side, her eyes immediately falling onto the bedroom door. Marissa had entered it about 20 minutes ago.

A small smile played on Alex's lips as she remembered the small huff the taller girl had released, when she realized Alex had fallen asleep. However the smile was replaced by her tongue wetting her lips, as she remembered Marissa crouching in front of her, her wet hair smelling damn good, as she tried to determinate if she was faking.

It had been a tad bit hard to pretend when the younger girl had brushed a hair away from her face and had placed a small kiss on her cheek, whispering a soft, "This is so not over, Kelly," before quietly making her way to the other room.

Right now, Alex was really starting to doubt the whole, _'Let's take this slow this time_' thing. Cause the thoughts she had been having about Marissa for a while now, had nothing to do with 'slow'. That 'Slow' thing sucked. Even more than this stupid couch!

She moved slightly again and groaned.

Alright, nothing sucked more than this stupid couch. But it's the principals that matter! Or something.

She closed her eyes and was about to try to fall asleep again, when she heard her bedroom door creak. She slowly cracked her right eye open and then released a soft laugh.

"I can't believe this."

Marissa chuckled in return as she made her way to the couch. She perched on the coffee table, looking at Alex.

"Told ya it wasn't over yet," she spoke, pulling the blanket more around her.

Alex couldn't help but grin at the girl. She was dressed in one of Alex's old T-shirts and a pair of her shorts, her blanket draped around her shoulder carelessly and her wet hair pretty messed up. Yet, she looked amazing.

"Marissa, I am not going to let you sleep on this crappy thing."

"That's not why I'm here actually," Marissa replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "There I was in this enormous bed, thinking…"

"Always a bad sign…"

"Oh shut up," Marissa smiled at her, rolling her eyes. "Anyways, I start to feel a tad bit guilty again for letting you sleep on this thing. And then I begin to crack my brains for a compromise…"

Alex propped herself up onto her elbow, her gaze on the girl in front of her, while the younger of the two continued, her own eyes travelling around the room.

"Suddenly there was also this whole moaning and groaning I kept hearing… Unfortunately it was not the good variety either…" Marissa finally looked at Alex, a smile on her lips. "And then it hit me. Who the hell would even want to sleep on the couch, when they could share a very comfortable bed with a hot brunette?"

Alex smiled softly.

"Yeah, that's a good point, but you know, not that good of an idea."

"Right, we're taking it very damn slow," Marissa rolled her eyes, obviously liking this slow thing as much as Alex did. "And it's good, because fast doesn't seem to work for us and all, but we're grown women. I think we are able to control our hormones for one night."

Alex unconsciously slid her eyes over Marissa's figure before quickly looking away. Easy for her to say, right?

"Marissa, maybe…"

"Hey, it's a compromise," The brunette perched on the coffee table tugged on her blanket. "Come on. Don't make me use force."

"Use force?" Alex couldn't help but laugh softly. "Like you could take me on."

"Hey, I may not look the part, but I can so totally kick some asses!" Marissa exclaimed, flexing one of her hands. "See, there's muscle! Alright, it's kinda dark in here so you can't see it very well, but it's here."

Alex grinned widely.

"Oh yes, you're a total Hulk Hogan."

"Ha-ha," Marissa laughed, before becoming serious. She reached her hand towards Alex and held it there. "Come on, now. Off to bed we go."

"Oh my, Ms. Cooper, are you insinuating something?" Alex teased, before hesitantly grabbing the other woman's hand. "And by the way if this goes horribly awry, I'm totally blaming you."

"Don't worry," Marissa spoke, a comical look on her face. "I have a plan!"

**-5 minutes later-**

"Uh, Marissa…"

"Yeah?" The brunette asked, a small yawn following the words.

Alex lifted her head and peeked at the other brunette over the small barrier Marissa had built.

"Are you seriously going to keep these pillows between us?"

Marissa opened her eyes and looked at her.

"Well, we have to be safe."

"This certainly gives another meaning to 'being safe'," Alex murmured poking one of the pillows. "And it's rather ridiculous."

She watched as Marissa leant on her elbow, so they could chat over the barrier.

"Hey, you were the one worried about this."

"I know. But this," Alex slid a hand over her hair. "This is just…"

Marissa sighed, biting her lip and nodding.

"Alright, you do have a point there, but haven't you seen the movies! It's always like this – two people try to fall asleep very far apart and then they wake up and bam! Somehow they get tangled up, with hands on inappropriate places and everything…" Marissa paused. "You sure you want to risk that?"

Alex chuckled.

"Weren't you the one who said we can keep our hormones in check?"

Marissa flushed slightly, looking away from the brunette.

"Yeah, well, in theory …"

Alex took in her flushed face and bit her lip. She had to ask.

"Hey, Marissa?"

"Yeah?"

"How slow… is slow?"

The brunettes locked eyes and Marissa licked her lips.

"I've been thinking about that too, actually. How about we just… go with it?"

"Go with it slowly or just go with it?" Alex murmured, watching as Marissa suddenly begun to lift the small pillows and throwing them over the edge, clearing the space between them.

As the last pillow was taken away, Marissa scooted a tad bit closer, her emerald eyes once again very intense. She opened her mouth, starting to say something, when suddenly…

***Ring* *Ring***

Marissa practically jumped when her cell phone begun to ring. Groaning softly, she reached carefully over Alex and took her mobile from the nightstand. She flipped it open and begun to speak,

"Yes? What? No. No, I'm okay. I just stayed in the city. Yeah. I'll go from the meeting straight from here. Huh? Oh. Yeah, of course. Sure… Alright, bye."

She closed her phone and looked at Alex.

"Kaitlin woke up to have a drink and noticed I was missing," she spoke as an explanation. She fell onto the bed, sighing. There was a moment of silence and then she lifted herself up again slightly.

Once again she reached over the other woman, so she could place her phone back on the nightstand. However, this time she didn't pull away completely, but remained hovering above Alex.

"What I was about to say," she murmured, their eyes locking now. "Is that we should… maybe… forget 'very slow' and just…" she fell quiet, her gaze moving a tad bit lower than Alex's eyes, her lips to be accurate. "I mean – I want to… very bad…"

"Are you sure?" Alex interrupted softly.

"Oh yeah."

"Thank you, god."

And before Marissa could even comprehend what was happening, Alex had placed a gentle hand behind her head and brought their lips together into a soft kiss. Well, it started out like one anyways.

But soon the hesitancy in their kiss was lost. Marissa's one hand was supporting her weight, while her other one got lost in Alex's hair. Alex's hand was still behind her neck, holding her close.

One of them, neither could tell who, moaned as their tongues met for the first, but definitely not for the last time.

Their kiss lasted for about a minute, before Marissa pulled back slightly, once again flushed. But now she wasn't the only one. She smiled down at Alex, who responded by lifting her head slightly and capturing the brunette's lips again for just a small moment.

When she pulled away she too was smiling.

"You know," she whispered, tracing Marissa's bottom lip with her thumb, "Maybe the pillows aren't such a bad idea after all."

Marissa chuckled softly, before moving away slightly. She fell onto her back next to Alex.

"I told you," she replied. "Hormones are evil."

Alex laughed in response, before speaking,

"But you know, I think I have a way to stop us from suddenly getting all spoony with each other in the middle of our sleep…"

"If you even mention the couch…" Marissa murmured. "Hulk Hogan, remember?"

Alex smiled at her.

"No, actually we can prevent that by doing this," the brunette scooted closer to her, throwing a hand over her waist. "See, now it can't suddenly happen."

"Hm," Marissa's eyes fluttered slightly as Alex's fingers tickled her stomach. "Yeah… Yeah, I can see your point there."

She moved her pillow closer to Alex and snuggled into the other woman slightly, wrapping her own arm around her in return.

"G'night, Alex," she whispered.

"Night, Riss."

Alex thought that by doing this, she prevented something unexpected happening while they slept and thus there wouldn't be anything embarrassing happening in the morning.

If only she knew…

**XxXxXxXxXx  
**

**A/N** – And I UPDATED! Mhwhaha, Malex moments in this one, definitely. Please review if you liked it, because feedback feeds me. (That's why it's called feedback, you know) and reviews seriously make me smile and laugh. And if I feel happy, I write :) See how reviewing benefits ALL of us?


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Her bed was softer than usual.

That was the first comprehensive thought that entered Marissa Cooper's mind this morning.

The second thought was that her one hand had gone numb - probably because she had slept on it; her second one was caught up in what felt like soft fabric and her third one was...

Wait.

What ??

It took her a few seconds to wake up enough to analyse the growth of a limb overnight. Considering the events of last night, it was very much likely that one of the hands as well as the soft bed belonged to Alex.

At least she hoped so. Otherwise, something very iffy would be going on. But in view of the huge amount of weird things that had happened to her before in her life...

Marissa opened her eyes. A moment later, she smiled softly, having found the sight she had been hoping for.

One half-naked and totally gorgeous Alex Kelly in bed with her – check.

Ah what an awesome way to start the day.

The brunette yawned and rose onto her elbow to see the clock on Alex's nightstand. It was just 10 am. Way too early to be awake on a Saturday - especially considering that she had gotten to bed around four in the morning.

She let her head hit the pillow again a moment later and closed her eyes. Maybe she could try falling asleep again.

Or not.

About ten minutes had passed from that attempt and sleep was just as close to her as Russia. Groaning softly, she raised her head from the soft pillow, ready to give up and get out of bed. But just as she placed her own hand over Alex's to remove it, the other girl...

Moaned? _  
_  
Marissa's brow furrowed slightly as she stared at Alex. What the...? She squinted her eyes at her, trying to notice any indication of Alex waking up. However there were none.

Had she imagined it or something?

She was just about to accept the fact that she had indeed imagined the sound, when she heard it again - Soft, barely above a whisper, but definitely a moan.

Eyes widening, Marissa swallowed. Okay. No credit to her imagination then.

She just laid there for a moment, analysing. It was very possible that Alex was just having some sort of an innocent dream that...

*Mm.*

... that included sounds like that.

Marissa tore her eyes away from Alex as soon as the other girl's tongue flicked over her lips in her sleep. Okay, screw innocence. Alex was actually having one of _those_ dreams about someone.

And that was just...

Marissa threw the blanket off herself, feeling very warm suddenly. She really had to get out of this bed. Right now. Taking a gentle hold on Alex's arm, she lifted it off herself and manoeuvred herself away from the woman.

About a minute later she found herself looking around for her clothes. Just as she saw them, she heard yet another soft moan from Alex.

A shiver ran down Marissa's spine, as she grabbed her clothes from the chair nearby. Alright, now she really had to get out of the room.

The girl made her way towards the door, trying to save herself from this very weird and slightly awkward situation. She almost made it, but before she could open the door and slip out, she heard it.

Her name.

Marissa sighed and turned around - ready to explain why she was sneaking out on her tippy toes like a serious weirdo. However, no explaining was needed, as the girl in the bed was still asleep.

Marissa stood by the door for a short moment, a dazed look on her face as her mind finally put two and two together. It wasn't that hard of a math, really. She tilted her head slightly. Was Alex actually dreaming about...

Really, Alex? Really?

Biting back the grin that was starting to appear on her face, she quietly left the room a few seconds later.

Ah what an awesome way to start the day indeed.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

Alex Kelly woke about half an hour later to the smell of coffee and to the sound of someone humming. She opened her eyes wearily and glanced at the clock. A second later she closed them and snuggled closer to the pillow, utterly planning to fall asleep again. That plan however failed, as her eyes popped open just a split second after she had closed them.

Didn't she live alone?

She stared at the wallpaper of her bedroom wall for a few moments, blinking. Then she sat up in her bed and yawned. A smile appeared on her face, as she _finally _figured out who was humming in her living room.

She let the realization of the situation sink in. It was a bit hard to believe that after all this time, she had ended up in bed with Marissa friggin' Cooper. Speak about a blast from the past, huh.

She bit her lip softly, looking around the room, still in a sleepy daze. Then as soft humming reached her ears again, she came to a decision.

A minute later she was in the doorway to the kitchen, a big pink blanket around her, as she stared at the sight in front of her – An interesting sight at least.

There was Marissa Cooper. There was her coffee maker. And apparently there was a staring contest.

Marissa suddenly reached out one finger carefully and poked the machine on the counter. A second later she jumped back and let out a loud yelp, as the coffee maker beeped at her.

This is the point where Alex made her presence known by laughing. Loudly.

Immediately Marissa wheeled around in her spot, some of her brown hair hitting her in the face.

Suddenly Alex found herself closely watched and considering that she had just woken up and probably looked like something out of a horror movie it didn't make her feel all soft and fuzzy in the inside.

"What?" she murmured, sliding a hand over her hair, a bit self-conscious now.

Marissa's mouth opened, but before she could say anything, a loud noise reached both of their ears.

_"LOVE ME TEEENDEEER, LOVE ME SWEEEEET!"_

The two women exchanged a look, before they turned in sync, now staring at the door, behind of which this horrible sound seemed to come from.

"What the...?"

Alex looked at the brunette and shrugged,

"I don't know," she murmured, wrapping her blanket around herself more as she walked towards the door. She paused in front of it and tried to peek out from the spy-hole in it. Unfortunately, she didn't see anything.

She backed away a little and soon found her back pressed to something. Considering the hand that rested on her arm a moment later that something was probably Marissa.

Alex tilted her head a bit, so she could see the other girl. Then, as another high note was "sung" outside, she saw Marissa wince and she was sure she did it too.

"Who was it?" she asked softly.

"I didn't see," Alex murmured and stepped away from the other brunette, who she had noticed was already dressed and grabbed a set of keys from a drawer nearby. "You open the door."

"Me? Why me?" Marissa caught the set of keys and gave Alex a look.

Alex gestured at herself and arched an eyebrow, when Marissa's eyes swept over her slowly. A moment later a sheepish grin appeared on Marissa's face, as she twirled the key ring around her finger.

However the grin disappeared as soon as yet another Elvis song started – this one even louder and more awful sounding than the last one.

"Here we go."

Marissa unlocked the door and pulled it open without hesitation, ready to give a peace of her mind to whoever was axing those songs like this. However as soon as she saw the man in the hallway, her mind froze.

Alex, who stood behind the door, peered into the hallway as well. She too found herself frozen in shock, as the visual registered in her mind.

Slowly the man in front of them wheeled around, his mouth wide open as he screeched out the song. However, as his eyes finally reached the doorway to Alex's apartment, the song ceased. Obviously he found the sight pleasing, as a huge toothless grin fell onto his face. He reached out his hat and started to wobble towards them, looking only a tad bit deranged.

"Money," he spoke, slightly slurring now. "Money! Money for food!"

"Close the door," Marissa murmured from the corner of her mouth. "Alex. Close the door!"

It took a moment for the other girl to snap out of it and react. She slammed it shut with a loud bang, turning the key as soon as the handle was pressed down from the outside.

She quickly stepped back, standing side-by-side with Marissa now.

It didn't take long for them to hear another door open. A second later a loud yell rang through the hallway.  
_  
"GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"_

_..._

"Is that your neighbour?"

_"NOW, YOU UGLY BUM!"_

"Yep. Charming guy... Charming guy..."

They both looked at each other at the same time.

"That was... kinda weird," Marissa finally spoke, breaking the silence that had fallen upon them.

Alex nodded slowly.

"You know," she murmured a moment later. "If he had been begging for clothes I would've so given him the money."

Marissa chuckled softly.

"I have never actually seen a naked bum before."

"And I could've gone without seeing one!" Alex sniped, before a small grin appeared on her face ad well. "But I did notice something."

"What?" Marissa asked, when long moment passed and the other brunette didn't elaborate.

"Well," Alex leant closer, her voice soft. "See, I noticed that he had the largest..." Her voice was barely above a whisper as she continued, "...the biggest..."

Marissa gasped barely audibly when Alex's breath tickled her ear. She could practically feel the other woman's smile as she spoke the final words,

"...man-boobs I have ever seen."

It took about a second for Marissa's brain to fully comprehend what she had heard.

She burst out laughing and nudged Alex away from her.

"You're horrible, you know that, right?"

"What?" the brunette blinked innocently. "What did you think I was going to say?"

"Horrible, just horrible," Marissa shook her head, still grinning. Then she surprised Alex by tugging her closer and pressing a chaste kiss on the woman's lips. She then brushed by her and headed towards the kitchen area.

"I'll go make coffee," she spoke over her shoulder. "And you could, I dunno, go get dressed?"

"What?" Alex spoke, striking a hilarious pose with her blanket. "You don't think I look good like this?"

Marissa laughed, standing by the coffee maker.

"Actually I do," She murmured, biting her lip as she pushed the small button on the machine. She grinned victoriously when the green light lit. She lifted her eyes. "And that is the problem."

"Ah, you and your uncontrollable hormones," Alex shook her head mockingly. "Can't even keep your thoughts straight around me."

"Don't mock me," Marissa waved a spoon at her. "Where are your cups?"

"Cupboard above the sink," Alex spoke. "And it's too much fun, mocking you, I mean."

"You're cruel," Marissa moaned. "Sugar?"

"Next cupboard and..." Alex laughed, gesturing towards the bedroom. "I'll go in there and _think _about getting dressed, cause it's kinda fun teasing you."

"Okay," Marissa nodded, rummaging through the cupboard, while Alex made her way to the towards the bedroom. "Oh and by the way..."

"Yeah?" Alex asked, pausing in the doorway.

"Did you sleep well?" Marissa glanced past the cupboard door and raised a single eyebrow, a smirk on her lips. "Maybe have a nice dream?"

Alex stared at her for a moment and then turned towards the bedroom.

"So-o-o, I'll just go and get dressed now."

Alex quickly closed the door, flushing slightly as soft laughter could be heard a moment later.

Damn.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

A/N – I was planning to fit a lot of things here, but evidentially it takes a lot of words for those two to spend twenty minutes together. So lots of things in the next chapter it is. Maybe I can write House a little... If I feel cranky enough :D

- Love, the author


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

She toyed with the mobile in her hand, unable to reach a decision. Should she just get into the car and keep driving or should she make the damn call?

She found the name easily, having just talked with her a day ago and all, but the hesitation took over. She should go home. She had had a long day and she should go home and then maybe call her, just to declare the good news.

But...

The brunette leant against her car and without letting herself dwell over her decision too much, pressed the green button. She lifted it towards her ear and kicked a stray pebble nearby.

"Hey," the voice greeted her from the other side.

She let a small smile appear on her face.

"Hey," she replied. "Listen, I was wondering... do you have plans for tonight?"

Alex exhaled softly, before replying,

"Well, not really..."

Marissa smiled under the neon lights of the gas station.

"That's great! I kinda wanted to tell you the good news in person, but... I won that case. The big one, I've worked months on and I was just driving towards New York when I thought that maybe you'd like to celebrate with me and have... dinner or something?" When no answer came, she offered, "I have a bottle of champagne in the car from the office party. All yours if you talk to me."

Alex made an amused sound in return.

She was huddled in a blanket, sitting on the couch, watching a cheesy romance movie. She looked at the empty pizza boxes on the table in front of her with a wistful look, before finally replying to the waiting girl on the other side of the line.

"I'm sorry, I'd love to celebrate – I mean I know how hard you worked for this, but maybe another time, okay?"

For the first time, Marissa noticed the weariness in her voice. She stopped tapping her fingers against the roof of the car and asked, hesitantly,

"Is everything okay?"

"I- Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Alex reassured her. "You should go and celebrate and..."

"And I'm not stupid, Alex," Marissa interrupted, frowning softly. "What happened?"

Alex groaned, her head hitting the edge of the couch with a soft thud.

"Am I that obvious?"

"Yes," Marissa replied immediately. "Alex..."

"I... I was fired like two hours ago," the woman on the couch, stared sadly at the ceiling. "House fired me."

"What!? But why?"

"Evidentially, I wasn't good enough."

The sentence was spoken so quietly that Marissa had to strain her ears to catch it. However, she did and the thought by itself seemed ridiculous. Alex was a kickass doctor and if some cranky old dude didn't agree with her, she'd just go find Summer and let her go all rage blackout on him.

"I don't think Summer should strain herself, Riss," Alex chuckled softly. "The thought's tempting though."

"Oh, I said that out loud, huh?" Marissa asked sheepishly, before coming up with a brilliant idea. "Hey, do you mind if I come over for a while?"

"What?" Alex sat up a little, looking around the mess in her living room. "Uh, well, I'm kinda... wallowing in a mess right now. And I really think you should go and celebrate your victory not be here in a wallowing mess with me."

"The celebrating can wait a bit. Come on, I have liquor!"

"I don't think a bottle of champagne will fix this, Marissa."

"You're right." A small pause. "I'll go buy stronger stuff before I come. And ... pizza, cause I'm hungry."

Marissa. Liquor. Pizza.

She smiled a little to her messy living room.

"I'll see you soon then."

**XxXxXxXxXx**

"I don't get it either," Alex spoke, biting into her slice of the pizza. "I was good! I didn't blow anything up; I followed orders; hell, I DIDN'T follow them when needed - I was everything he said that he wanted from us and then BAM!"

Marissa jumped when Alex brought her fist down against the table and couldn't help but giggle, when she realized she had landed her fist in a small piece of pizza in her dramatic movement.

Slightly embarrassed, Alex peeled a piece of cheese of her hand and looked up at Marissa. But as soon as their eyes met, they both started to laugh uncontrollably.

They both just laughed for a while, before Alex picked up her glass and shook the wine inside it a little. Her expression got serious and sad in a second.

"Hey, come on, you'll find another job in no time," Marissa tried to see things from the positive way. She shifted a bit closer to Alex, looked at her seriously and spoke, "If needed, I will hire you!"

"As your personal doctor or something?"

"Eh, no. As my dishwasher or something," Marissa waved her hand, the corners of her lips tugging up when the brunette next to her smiled again.

"I'll think about it," Alex promised.

"You better, offers like this don't come along every day!"

Alex tilted her head. She hadn't seen Marissa since the day they had met the homeless Elvis wannabe, which had been almost two weeks ago. Sure, they talked on the phone, but where exactly did they stand anyways?

Old acquaintances? Friends? Exes? Ex-exes? Oh, maybe they were...

"Come on, what IS that?" Marissa exclaimed, throwing her hands up a little dramatically, as she leant her head against Alex's shoulder. "That's not even real!"

"What?" Alex, obviously out of the loop for the moment, looked down at her.

"That movie," Marissa gestured towards the screen, quoting the lame line, she had just heard. "I knew when I looked at your eyes! I saw hesitation and dreams; wishes and hope; pure love!" She made a 'pft' sound. "Come on, if **I **look at someone's eyes I just see... brown!" she tipped her head a little to look at Alex and their eyes met. She paused, before adding, without a trace of mocking now, "Or really, really nice deep blue."

She blinked and quickly looked back at the screen.

"Movies are so unreal, you know?"

Amused again, Alex looked between the screen and the brunette. She couldn't help but wonder how easily the other girl could improve her mood. She figured if she should bring it up and thank her, but as Marissa leant over to the table to grab her drink, before snuggling close again, she figured – what the heck, it can wait.

However, before she could relax and get into that cheesy movie they were watching, Marissa's phone rang. She fished it out of her pocket, took a look at the display and cringed. She accepted the call a moment later.

"Oh, hey, Summer," she spoke, immediately taking the receiver away from her ear, thanks to years of experience, already anticipating what was going to happen. A second later, she threw the mobile onto the table in front of her, having put it on speaker.

_"No, don't Summer me, Coop!"_ The shrill voice rang through the apartment and Alex had to stop herself from grinning at the painful look on Marissa's face. _"You won!"_

"I know, isn't that great, I mean..."

_"NO! It's not great! Not when I – your best friend, in case you have forgotten – have to find out through SANDY."_

"I was going to come by," Marissa spoke pacifically. "I even brought champagne and... and that chocolate-drink thingy for you!"

...

_"That really good melting one, that I can't find anywhere in New York?"_ Summer asked, tone suspicious.

"Yep."

_"Oh, well, that changes EVERYTHING!"_ Summer spoke, her tone one hundred percent different. "See, Seth should take tips from you how to be lovable and stuff! So, come on, get up and start driving. You can grab Kaitlin if you want to. Bring the drinks!"

"Eh, see, Sum, the thing is I kinda drank it already..."

_"You drank my chocolate goodness?!"  
_  
"No-no-no," Marissa quickly spoke, murmuring 'I'm not suicidal' to Alex, before directing at the phone, "I meant the champagne and I can't –uh- drive."

_"Have Kaitlin drive ya, stupid,"_ Summer reasoned. _"Seriously, Coop, it's the biggest win you've ever had. We have to celebrate!"_

"I celebrated with the firm a little and then..."

_"The firm? As in crappy tasting foods and stupid ties and stuff? Come on, this will be an actual FUN thing,"_ Summer voice rang in the phone. _"What's going on, you're being odder than usual. Why wouldn't you want to celebrate with all of your frien – OH! You want Alex!"  
_  
"Uh, what?"

_"Yeah,"_ Summer got enthusiastic as always, about to demonstrate her superior knowledge. _"You want her to celebrate with us! Hell yeah! I'll call her if you want me to."_

"I really don't think tonight's gonna work out, Sum."

_"Hah, if it's cause of Alex and her inability to drive here, then ya know, we can go there. Really, Coop, if the mountain can't go to Mohammeds, then let us the Mohammeds go to the damn mountain!"  
_  
"I think it's the other way around," Alex interjected.

_"Pft, likes that matters,"_ Summer spoke, "_All we need is... Alex?!"_

"Hey, Summer."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you," Marissa spoke. "I was driving home and I decided to stop on the way and I met up with Alex and now we're..."

_"No more words necessary,"_ Summer suddenly cut her off, sounding oddly gleeful of the sudden. "_I get it."  
_  
"Really?"

_"Yep, giddy up, horsey!"  
_  
"Wha..."

_"See you, tomorrow, Coop!"  
_  
And the line went dead.

Marissa picked up her phone and placed it in her pocket once again. Then she pursed her lips and asked,

"Is it just me or is my best friend very weird?"

Alex slid a hand through her hair.

"You sure you don't mind hanging around with me instead of cele..."

"Yep, totally," Marissa leant towards the table to refill their glasses. She handed one to Alex a moment later. "I like being with you. Also, I am really good at the whole mocking people thing we're doing tonight." She pursed her lips, before speaking. "So, a cane huh? That's like so 90s."

Alex chuckled, before revealing the big conclusion she had made on House over the time she spent in that hospital.

"He sucks. And he's insane," she paused, "And I'm not sure if the last is a good or bad thing when it comes to him."

Marissa nodded seriously, but before she could reply, yet another phone rang: this one Alex's landline. Since Marissa was closer to the phone, she was the one who ended up answering.

"Hello," she spoke, keeping an eye on the TV. For a moment she thought nobody was going to talk to her this time, but then...

_"Thirteen?"_

Marissa blinked. A second later, she placed the receiver against her chest and sat away from Alex, so she could look at her.

"Hey, I think it's that sucking guy. He wants you."

Alex looked up in surprise.

"What?"

"House. He asked for you."

"Does he want to fire me again?!"

Marissa shrugged, lifted the receiver to her ear and asked,

"What exactly do you want?"  
_  
"Money and sex. Oh and Thirteen. Is she there?"_ A voice drawled in return.

"Yep."

_"Can I talk to her?" _

"Nope."

_"For Christ's sake, woman, give me Thirteen!"_

Marissa took the receiver and held it out for the brunette, who had been watching her closely.

"I think he really wants to talk to you."

Alex sighed before taking the phone.

"Yeah, House?"

Marissa leant back, sipping her drink as she waited for any sort of information.

"Wait, why would I be there on Monday?"

Immediately, Marissa sat up straight. A moment later, she scooted as close as she could do Alex and tried to listen in. Gently, Alex brushed a bit of Marissa's hair out of the way and placed the receiver between the two of them.

_"There seems to have been a calculating mistake. All Cuddy's fault of course – and now I am going to have to hire you again,"_ House spoke matter-of-factly. "_So work, Monday, be there."_

And then he hung up.

"That was... short," Marissa murmured after a moment of silence. Then a grin started to spread over her face. "Did you just get your job back?"

Alex exhaled.

"I did, didn't I?"

There was a small pause.

And then she laughed.

"I hate House."

"Wonder why," Marissa spoke sarcastically. "Seems like such an awesome guy to me."

"I know, right," Alex retort, before looking at her. "But thank you."

"I didn't give you your job back," Marissa replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "As a matter of fact, I remember offering you one and you refused."

"I'll give you a call as soon as I get fired again. But in the meanwhile I meant thanks for being here with me tonight."

Another pause, as Alex took in the other girl's profile.

"Do you think it's weird? You and me again, after all this time?"

Marissa poked the white pizza box, before shaking her head.

"Nope. Okay, maybe a little. But in a good way," she smiled, turning her head. Of course, thanks to their close proximity, they found their faces very close to each other.

Alex was the first one to move, raising a hand to tuck away the strand that had escaped again. Marissa smiled at the gesture and a moment later, their lips met. Gently at first. Teasing. Slow; almost painfully slow.

They broke it off, breathing irregular, eyes looking for hesitation. None found, Marissa leant forward and captured Alex's lips with her own once again.

The second kiss was more demanding, their lips moving faster and the heat between them growing with alarming speed. Marissa's blouse was the first thing to disappear on their way to the bedroom, shortly followed by Alex's t-shirt.

The moment Alex's back met with the bedroom door, she groaned.

"You okay?"

Marissa's lips on her neck sending shivers down her spine.

"Just fine."

The bedroom door was opened and closed behind them.

"It's kinda uneven," breathlessly whispered by Alex, before her fingers slip under her shirt, helping Marissa out of it.

As soon as the shirt is discarded, their lips meet yet again. Hot, wanting and definitely not slow.

And as Marissa's knees buckle and she finds herself on the bed with Alex, she figures slow is not what she wants anyways.

**XxXxXxXxXx  
**  
A/N – Okay, there was SOME House in it, okay? Not in the way I had in mind when I wrote that last chapter a few light years ago, but he was there :P  
Thank you all for reading this and if you feel like it, drop a line or two and let me know what you thought. Cause I have, uh, insecurities :D


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N – **Just watched Lucky Thirteen. I figured why not write my 13th lucky chapter as a tribute to that awesome episode. Because that episode kicked ass. Might've been because it practically evolved around Thirteen and had some real wit in it. Either that or I really like the femslash action.

Both are possible.

So, in the celebration of a cool episode and in response to all you guys, who felt cheated in the last chapter, where I just um, skipped some things, I took a chance in this one and wrote... femslash. For the very first time in my life. I really hope that I won't fail epically.

In the end, there will be some femslash. **You've been warned.**

Please bare with me, okay :P

**Chapter 13 **

"Thirteen?"

Alex looked up, smiled and lifted a hand in a silent greeting when she noticed Taub and Kutner approaching her.

"What are you doing here?" Kutner asked as soon as they were by her side, both delighted to see a friendly familiar face and slightly horrified at the prospect of yet another twist in House's game.

"I work here... Again," Alex murmured her response, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her lab coat. "Unless House's sense of humour has gotten even crueller during the past few days."

"Wait, does this mean, the game's still going on?" Taub looked around suspiciously as if waiting for someone to pop out with cameras and yell _"You've been Punk'd!". _"Because that's unfair. You were fired."

"Thanks for reminding me," the woman rolled her eyes in return. "And I don't know. I was just told to show up for work today and..." She paused when she saw Kutner staring at her with wide eyes. "What?"

The man instantly straightened up a little, a sly grin starting to spread across his face.

"So, you had a nice weekend then?"

"And I repeat – what?" She frowned when Kutner only grinned a tad bit wider. "What's with the look?"

"I can't help it, I was born with this look," The man gave her yet another cheeky grin, before looking behind her. She turned to see House and Foreman heading towards them.

All three of them straightened up, expecting some kind of explanation for what had happened. Was the game still going on? Had the rules changed? Was somebody about to be fired again?

"Woman, 22, unexplained seizures and internal bleeding," Foreman spoke, as the pair practically breezed past them, obviously expecting them to follow. Exchanging a few glances amidst themselves, they slowly did so.

"Wait, we have a new case?"

"No, Foreman's just stating odd stuff at odd times," House replied to Taub nonchalantly, heading for their usual room with the nice whiteboard and the shiny markers he liked to play with. "Don't make me regret hiring you already."

"So we're hired?" Kutner asked, looking between the five of them. "All of us?"

"What is this? Are you really trying to prove me that I'm an idiot for hiring you?" House grabbed his marker, writing on the whiteboard. The word "YES" stood on it a few seconds later. "See? It's on the whiteboard and the whiteboard never lies. Any more moronic questions in need for an answer?"

He looked at everyone in his team, secretly satisfied how it had fallen in place so nicely. His gaze lingered on Kutner for a moment, before falling on the woman next to him.

Foreman, probably not about to ask a moronic question, but rather direct their attention to the case, something he had to do a lot lately, opened his mouth. However, he didn't get to say much, as House had already cried out,

"Dear lord, woman, don't you have any decency?"

Considering that there was only one female in the room, all heads turned towards her, Kutner once again smirking uncannily.

Alex, unaware of what was going on, just stared back at them.

"What?"

Foreman, having already noticed what the big deal was about, just sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"So she has a private life. Could we just talk about the case?"

"Surely not, Foreman! She has a private life!" House pointed an accusing finger at Thirteen. "This needs our special care and concern! Jesus, don't you have any priorities?!"

Slowly but surely understanding started to dawn on Alex's face. Without a word, she stepped next to the shelf with the mirror on it and tilted her head, groaning softly when she noticed the reddish hue on her neck.

Thank you, Marissa.

She pulled up the collar of her coat, turned around, tactfully ignoring the looks she got from Kutner and House and asked,

"Internal bleeding without reason, right?"

Foreman, obviously relieved someone was actually going to discuss the case, started to hand out thick files, which turned out to be the charts for the woman they were trying to diagnose. Alex wordlessly opened it and plopped down into one of the chairs, dutifully keeping her eyes on the lines in front of her and pretending she didn't see Kutner and House look at her as if expecting her to explain something.

The world of pretence is just awesome.  
**  
XxXxXxXxXx**

"What are you doing tonight?"

Marissa paused in her way, stepped back a few steps and peeked into her sister's room.

"Why?"

"Mom wants to go and have family dinner, so I'm hoping you have plans and thus she can't drag me out either," Kaitlin replied, going through her stuff. "I didn't have plans when she asked, but now I've been asked out." She looked at her sister. "Sometimes, I wonder why don't we move out?"

"Because this is a manor, we pay no rent and we have maids and stuff."

Kaitlin hmm-ed.

"Right. Anyways, do you think you could find a reason why you can't have dinner with Mom?"

Marissa entered the room and plopped herself onto the bed of her sister.

"I think I could find a place to be."

"Let me guess, New Jersey?" Kaitlin didn't look towards her, but Marissa could practically feel that she was grinning. "That's where that Alex chick lives, right?"

"Yeah, but I could also go and hang with..."

"Summer, who's on bed rest and more hormonal than ever?" her sister threw her a look, as she continued to shift through her shelves filled with clothes. "I wouldn't go there."

"Oh. Right," Marissa flipped onto her stomach to see her sister. "What are you doing anyways?"

"Looking for something to wear. How's it going with Alex?"

"Good. I've stepped by a few times this week and we're... we're good. Who are you going out with?"

"Ironically, Alex," Kaitlin replied. "Alexander to be accurate. So, are you two like dating now?"

"I don't know. We just hang out and do... stuff," Marissa grinned. "It hasn't been brought up and I don't really want to push it right now. How come I haven't met your Alex?"

"He works a lot and you're not around all that much lately." Kaitlin paused and grinned. "Okay, neither am I, because hello, we still live with mom, but the point remains. What do you and Alex do all the time."

"Stuff."

Kaitlin, having pulled out a blue sweaterish thing, looked around and raised an eyebrow. "Stuff? Oh, I bet that's like a code for..."

"Code for what?"

"Mom, jesus, would you learn how to knock?" The younger of the two sisters groaned. She pulled her sweater over her head. "I am so moving out soon."

"You've been saying that since you got 16, Kaitlin. Besides, the door was opened." Julie spoke matter-of-factly. "Code for what?"

"Baking cookies, Mom," Marissa jumped off the bed, grinning at the look her mom gave her. "Oh and I heard you wanted to have dinner tonight. I'm so sorry, but I have plans."

"Kaitlin already managed to warn you, right?" Julie looked between her two daughters. "I can always trap one, but never the other."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kaitlin spoke seriously.

"Yeah, me neither," Marissa copied her sister's serious expression, before sending a smile at her family. "Okay, I got to go now. I'm not sure if I'll be back today, so don't be worried, 'kay?"

She headed out and was already in the middle of the hallway, when suddenly her younger sister called out for her.

"Hey!"

She turned around to see Kaitlin's head pop out from the doorway to her room.

"Have fun baking cookies."

With a small grin, Marissa did the mature thing and flipped her sister off, before heading to her own room to grab her stuff. She had important places to be at.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

"Let me guess. You just happened to walk by again?"

Alex leant against the doorframe with a large grin as she slid her eyes over the figure behind her door.

Marissa gave her a soft smile in return and nodded slowly, as she placed her hands in her back pockets and swayed back-and-forth slightly as if embarrassed.

"Yeah, you know me, I'm in the area a lot."

"Isn't it odd, tho? You live like 70 miles to the North and yet you seem to pass by every so often," Alex spoke thoughtfully, teasingly actually, as she still blocked the doorway from the other brunette. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were making up excuses."

"I really don't know what you're talking about," Marissa replied, before she casually removed her hand from her pocket, placed it at the waist of the girl in front of her and tugged her close enough to capture her lips with her own.

Their greeting was cut short though when one of the neighbours cleared his throat as he passed by with a bashful grin on his lips.

Alex chuckled softly at his retreating figure, before backing into her apartment, Marissa following her without a question.

Five minutes later, Alex was in the kitchen making coffee and Marissa was kneeling on the couch with her elbows on the back of it, her own back to the TV and her face towards the small corner of the room, which Alex liked to call a kitchen.

The doctor grabbed a small piece of candy from the glass bowl on the cupboard, popped one into her mouth and then leant back a little to be able to see the other woman by the couch.

"So, how's the jobhunt?"

"Sad," Marissa responded immediately. "Considering I'm kind of a freelancer and all and Sandy doesn't have any odd ends for me, I have a lot of free time in my hands out of the blue." She shifted a little, smiling now. "Hence my frequent visits to the area."

"You took down an entire hospital almost all by yourself and you don't have any offers?" Alex tilted her head. "Is it just me or does that make no sense?"

"Work of a lawyer, who's too flaky to tie herself to an actual company," Marissa chuckled, obviously not worried about it. "You know, if you don't really need the money, you're not as pressed to work every day from 8 till 5 or whatever."

"Why do you?" Alex pulled out the cups from the cupboard nearby. "You are about the only person I know that doesn't have to work a day in her life and yet, you're also one of the most successful lawyers I know."

"Am I the only lawyer you know?"

"Don't mock my wide range of friends," Alex waved a large cup around, as she turned her back towards the brunette, placing the cups on the table so she could prepare the coffee. "I actually know two. You and this tiny bald dude that paddles around the hallways in the hospital. I think he has a name, but everyone just calls him Baldy, so I wouldn't kn –ooohw."

She looked down at the small hand around her waist and slowly her posture, which had gone rigid a moment ago, relaxed and she let herself burrow slightly into the soft body behind her.

"See," Marissa murmured softly into Alex's ear, tightening her hold on the older woman just a little. "The way I see this, we can talk about Baldy or..." Alex's gaze slowly moved down her own front to her waistline where Marissa's long fingers played with the button on her jeans. "We could not."

Alex turned around, letting her own hands that had been just hanging there moments ago, find a way better location on Marissa's lower back.

"Thought you wanted some coffee," She half stated, her hands already moving higher and slipping under the white blouse Marissa was wearing.

Marissa gave her a tiny grin, before leaning down and placing a nipping kiss on her collarbone.

"I was being polite."

Alex couldn't help the way her eyebrow arched in amusement.

"So it's not my coffee you want?"

Marissa's eyes locked onto hers almost immediately. They were a shade darker than normal and the way she narrowed them just a tiny bit, when her hands moved back to the button of Alex's jeans...

Alex pressed into her touch immediately, amusement fading from her features.

A second later, her lips were on Marissa's with her hands already tugging on the belt the lawyer had for some unknown evil reason chosen to wear today. The small satisfied noise in the back of her throat accompanied the removal of the said item. As it clattered to the ground, she pushed into the other girl just a little more, forcing her to take a step backwards.

Marissa, now pressed between the kitchen counter and the body of the woman in front of her, pulled away from Alex's lips to moan softly, when she was practically lifted onto the counter.

The button of her jeans was opened; whether she did it herself or was it Alex, she couldn't tell, but she knew for a fact that the hand that was tugging down the zipper wasn't hers.

Alex stepped closer to the girl on the counter, stepping between her legs and meeting her lips for another kiss, as her hand travelled downwards.

The first touch Marissa felt came unexpected and thus she bucked against Alex's hand lightly, almost knocking down the coffee maker nearby.

"Careful, it's hot," Alex murmured, placing a kiss on her jaw, as she repeated her hand movements slowly all over again. A small smile played on her lips when a pleased hum was given as a response to her administrations.

It didn't take long for her to realize that the jeans were getting in her way, so she stepped away from the counter. Marissa's dark green eyes, which had been closed in content, slid open almost lazily and now their intense gaze was once again locked on the woman in front of her.

Alex's hands slid to Marissa's waist, slipping under the waistline of the jeans. She tugged on them a little, just about to ask for help getting them off, when the younger of the two gracefully leant back and lifted her hips enough for the pants to slide off with ease.

Satisfied with the removal of the clothing that had kept getting in her way, Alex threw them onto the ground and reclaimed her spot between Marissa's legs.

Their lips met for another hungry kiss, only this time, Alex was the one grasping the edge of the counter, when Marissa's hands started to wonder.

"We should... the bedroom," Alex's voice was barely above a whisper, as she lifted her arms slightly, letting Marissa remove her shirt.

"Mhm."

Yet neither of them moved away or as much as paused before kissing each other again. This one was long and languid and was only interrupted when Marissa released a long and heavy sigh. Her lips moved to Alex's neck instead and she let her head rest on Alex's shoulder, when the other woman entered her.

"You okay?" Alex asked quietly, pausing for the time being.

Alex felt more than saw Marissa's nod softly. She slid into her again, enjoying the gusts of hot air she felt on her neck as a result. She sped up a little and Marissa arched into her touch, moaning.

Keeping up the movement, Alex brushed her thumb against the small nub nearby and groaned, when she felt Marissa bite into her shoulder to muffle a loud cry that escaped her. It didn't take long for her to feel the other girl clench around her fingers, before she practically melted into her, her breathing hot and laboured against her collarbone.

Alex stood still for a moment, letting Marissa catch her breath. However, two warm hands cupped her face barely moments later. A small smile played on Marissa's lips, as she brought Alex's face closer to her and pressed a soft kiss onto her lips. She pulled away a moment later and carefully manoeuvred herself off the counter before kissing her again.

Her tongue caressed Alex's lips once, twice before entering. Her hands popped open the button of Alex's jeans with ease and before Alex could even comprehend what was going on the taller girl slid onto her knees, her hands pulling down the denim with her.

She stepped out of the jeans, when Marissa had pulled them down enough.

Marissa threw the jeans towards the corner to join other discarded items of clothing and looked up to see Alex biting her lip as she gazed up at her.

"You comin' up?" She asked, her voice throaty.

Marissa slid her fingertips up and down the legs in front of her. She placed a soft kiss on one of Alex's thighs, before looking up. She allowed a soft smile play on her lips again.

"I don't think so."

**XxXxXxXxXx  
**

**A/N** – And there was some written after that, but it just seemed... a great place to leave this :D Call me a tease again and I'll hit you. It's so hard writing smut that doesn't seem weird and odd and crappy for me :D

Let me know what you think. Should I join the 'Never-ever write smut again' club? Or not?


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Alex lingered in front of the bathroom mirror the next morning. Wrapped in just a towel with her long hair dripping wet, she leant against the sink to get a better look at the thing that had stolen her attention.

She stared at her reflection, unable to decide if she was bothered by the sight or not – the answer was probably no though, because a flicker of smile played on her face as she gently trailed her fingers over the small mark.

It was another few seconds later, when she finally turned away from the mirror. She placed her shampoo and conditioner back onto the shelves nearby and hummed a little under her breath as she did so. She glanced around the room. Satisfied, when she found everything to be in order, she slid out of the door, switching off the lights as she walked by.

She shivered as she passed through the living room as quickly as possible. Hard to believe the rooms had felt so warm fifteen minutes ago. However, the closer she got to her bedroom door, the slower – and thus quieter – became her approach. At one moment, she was actually tiptoeing across the hardwood floors.

She paused by the door before opening it as inaudibly as possible, making extra effort to stop it from creaking. She peeked in at the big bundle of blankets on her bed.

Now, all she had to do was to make it to the closet without a sound.

Thinking of every spy movie she had ever seen, Alex prepared herself. She'd make it there without waking up Marissa. Ready? Set...

"Hey."

Alex practically leapt out of her towel at the voice behind her and she was pretty sure that the eep that escaped her wasn't all that cool and collected as she would've hoped. She wheeled around quickly, her wet hair making an uncomfortable collision with her face as a result.

She found herself face-to-face with a fully-clothed Marissa, who seemed pretty amused by the scene in front of her.

Then again, could she be blamed?

"Weren't you..." Alex looked at the piled up blankets and back at the girl. "When did you get up?"

"The moment you got out of the bed and went to take a shower," Marissa answered her question with a smile. "By the way, those awesome tippy toe moves you displayed back there? Brilliant."

"Don't mock me," the older of the two mumbled, turned around and went into the bedroom, no longer worried about the noise she made. She pulled open her closet and started to shift through clothes, while she spoke, "You know, for a guest, you're a little rude sometimes."

"I am?" Marissa remained in the doorway.

"Yeah. Here I am, sharing my food, my apartment, my bed, my..." Alex paused, thinking.

"Your table."

"My tabl..." the woman in front of the closet came to a halt, before looking over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow. Marissa was grinning at her and she couldn't help but grin back, before returning to her task of shifting through clothes. "You ass."

"What? It's true," the tall brunette by the door pushed herself off the doorframe and headed to Alex's bed and grabbed the edge of the blanket, starting to make the bed.

"You're strangely energetic again. Since when are you a morning person anyways?" Alex pulled out a pair of jeans she liked and threw them to the floor next to her.

"Oh, trust me, I'm not," Marissa responded. "I guess there might be some weird, mysterious reason for me tolerating mornings suddenly." She threw the pillows onto the bed in an almost organized way. "Sometimes, I wonder what it is, but, nope, I just can't figure it out."

Alex smiled at the two t-shirts she was holding, before turning around.

"Red or black, Riss?"

Marissa looked at her and slowly slid onto the bed.

"You should try them on," she spoke after a small time of consideration. "So I could judge them properly."

"I have work in less than an hour," Alex replied, holding them up again. "So...?"

Marissa nodded towards the one in her left hand.

"The black one. Definitely."

Alex gave the shirts a once over and nodded, pleased with Marissa's choice as she threw the red one back into the closet. She stood up with her clothes in her hand and then placed them down onto the bed next to Marissa. Just as she was about to go raid her underwear drawer, a hand on her elbow stopped her.

"Wait a second."

Suddenly, Marissa was up on her feet and in front of her, while her right hand gently traced the mark on her shoulder just like Alex herself had done minutes ago.

"Me?"

Alex looked down at the faint bite mark on her shoulder that could at first glance barely be seen, but once you knew it was there, it became extremely easy to see.

"No, the neighbour."

She chuckled, when Marissa flicked her head softly with her hand. Then sincere green eyes found her own.

"I'm sorry," Marissa spoke quietly.

"Trust me, I did not mind," Alex responded, obviously not concerned. With a slightly softer tone she added, "Besides, you're not completely unmarred either."

Marissa didn't reply immediately, but after a small moment she made a small hmm sound, followed by a soft kiss placed on Alex's shoulder. She then placed a longer one on her lips.

"I'll go make coffee," she murmured, pulling away. With a last look thrown at the older girl, Marissa left the room and headed to the kitchen. She had already started the machine while she waited for Alex to finish her shower, so it didn't take her all that long to be finished.

She leant against the counter and immediately thought of the last time she had done so. However, before her thoughts could run away from her, her phone rang.

Without bothering to look at ID, she flipped the phone open with a,

"Marissa."

_"Hey, you busy?"_

"Ryan?" Marissa placed the phone between her ear and shoulder, as she picked up her steaming cup of coffee, "No, I'm not. What's going on?"

_"I just wanted to see if you had plans this weekend?"_

Marissa carefully sipped her hot drink, before opening her mouth to tell Ryan she had no plans. However, as if the coffee had made her brain work overtime, she remembered something. Horrified, her eyes widened.

"Oh, no, no, no, Ryan," She spoke immediately, protest clear as day in her tone, "I'm not coming to that party my mom and your mom are throwing. I already told them no."

"_Marissa..."_

"Nope, no way, no how," the brunette refused to listen. "You know how much I hate those things. It's just like back in the O.C if not worse. We're actually supposed to act like adults now. It's so... blaah."

"_I know,"_ Ryan replied, _"Hence my thought. We go there, make our parents happy and get out fast, so we could have a small thing amongst ourselves."_

Marissa tapped her long fingers against the counter in thought, when her eyes fell onto the kitchen table. She couldn't help but smile at the sight of her now favourite piece of furniture.

"Is this a trick to get me to go to that lame party?" She asked Ryan a moment later. "Because with Summer out of commission with bedrest and all..."

_"She's not,"_ Ryan interrupted. _"I mean, she's still pregnant and can't drink or anything, but it's gonna be with just a few close people anyways."_

"You do know that with our luck, it's really probable that Summer will go into labour just during the party?"

_"Seth ran the statistics,"_ Ryan spoke matter-of-factly, but Marissa could hear the amusement in his voice. "_The odds are 1:3 in the favour of 'she'll hold it in'."  
_

"That's... reassuring," Marissa laughed into her coffee cup. She then exhaled, coming to a decision. "Okay, considering how it is you asking and I haven't seen you guys all that much lately, I'll suffer the party mom's throwing with you."

Ryan's tone was slightly affectionate in an Atwood way now,

"_Thanks, Marissa. So, I'll see you and Alex on Saturday night?"_

"Alex too?"

_"Yeah, it'd be cool if she could come_," Ryan replied, before adding, "_By the way, tell her good morning for me, will you?"  
_  
Before Marissa could even ask how the hell did he know where she was, the guy hurriedly let out a "See ya," and hung up on her like a real gentleman.

Obviously, that was the end of that call.

With a slightly puzzled expression on her face, Marissa closed her phone and slid it back into her pocket just as the bedroom door opened and Alex, now fully clothed with her hair up in a ponytail, walked out.

Wordlessly, Marissa went to the table and pushed the cup on it towards the approaching brunette, who accepted it gratefully.

"What would we do without coffee?" the doctor asked rhetorically, taking a seat behind the kitchen table that Marissa had thought of naming a small while ago. Just because she really liked that table now. It was her favourite table in the world. Hands down.

Alex closed her eyes as she breathed in the aroma of the heavenly drink that as good as saved lives nowadays. How did the cave people survive without this, she did not know. They probably had a lot more grouchy mornings for one thing.

A small sound that sounded awfully like a purr to Marissa escaped her as she took the first sip of the drink. She slid her eyes across the table, when something occurred to her. A thoughtful expression appeared on her face when she placed her cup down. She bit her lip, looked up at Marissa and proclaimed seriously,

"Okay, because of you, I can never look at this table in the same way ever again."

Laughter appeared all over Marissa's features, as she – like a proper lawyer should – immediately defended herself.

"Hey, I'm pretty sure that not all of the blame can be put on me."

"You started it," Alex insisted, obviously not really accusing Marissa of anything. "I thought you were just here for an innocent visit and a late night coffee, but instead, you just wanted to take advantage of me and my table."

"It's not like I planned on doing that. You provoked me with your really turn-on talk of that little pattering bald man or whatever," Marissa explained as if it was obvious. She placed her elbows on the back of the chair nearby, leant in a little and then, very smoothly, she changed the subject. "Go to a boring N.Y event with me on Saturday."

A small pause.

"Wow, that sounds just thrilling." Even a teletubby with only half of an antenna could've caught the sarcasm in Alex's words. The girl sipped her kickass coffee and wrinkled her nose a little. "Let me guess, your mom's the hostess?"

"Yes and I know you hate her and that you could think of million other places to be, but Ryan's throwing a small get-together for us right afterwards and he invited you," Marissa gave her a small smile. "So... go with me?"

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay," Alex confirmed, nodding. "I have the weekend off, so that shouldn't be a problem. Besides, spending Saturday with Julie Cooper? Sounds like a little piece of heaven to me."

"Just a part of Saturday, Julie Cooper-Nichol and – cool," Marissa gave her a bashful look, before turning around and placing her now empty coffee cup in the sink. She then turned around. "Hey, do you think it's okay if I grabbed a shower before heading home?"

Alex tilted her head towards the shower.

"Go ahead. You know where everything is, right?"

It made sense that she did, considering that she had stayed over a few times already; a shower or two usually involved in that package.

"Yeah. But if I accidentally put foot gel on my head again, I am not going to be happy," she wrinkled her nose. "That was just odd... and really slippery."

The way Alex's lips curled only deepened the faint frown on the brunette's face.

"On the positive side, the smell of lavender in your hair wasn't half bad. Just remember; light green is good for hair. Dark green... not so much." Alex spoke. She then rose from her seat, disposing her cup into the sink as well. "I got to go."

Marissa's frown deepened just a little.

"Oh. Well, I guess I'll just drive home then and..."

"No, you don't have to," Alex cut her off. "Listen, take your time okay. Grab a shower, eat something, whatever. And when you leave just drop the key at my mailbox. I have a key to that, so..." She made a vague hand expression. "It's no big."

"You sure?"

"Marissa, it's fine. It's not like you're about to rob me or something," she grabbed her jacket and pulled it on, while her eyes travelled around her apartment. "And sadly, there's not even all that much worth robbing."

She jingled the keys in the pocket of her jacket before withdrawing them. She slid one of the keys off the key ring and placed it on the counter, sliding it next to Marissa with her index finger.

"Mailbox, okay?"

"Okay."

Alex nodded once again, before leaning in and capturing Marissa's lips, which parted beneath hers almost immediately. She took a moment to enjoy the kiss that might be the last one she'd probably have in what? Four days?

She then pulled away, a little reluctantly, but still. Couldn't very well tell House that she was late, cause she had a gorgeous brunette to make out with, right?

Wait, actually...

"I really got to go." Alex ripped herself out of her wondering thoughts.

"I know." Marissa stepped back. "Have fun at work."

"I don't think anything can make today fun," the doctor groaned, thoughts of clinic hours flittering through her mind already. Even though, the start of the day had been pretty great, there was no way it would remain so. She could feel it in her toes. "No more fun for me from now on."

Marissa nodded, as if in understanding, before patting her shoulder compassionately and saying,

"Sure there will be, Cupcake."

That was enough to make Alex take her own step back and look at her. Her head lolled to the side a little, her eyebrows scrunched together in a cute way and the WTF expression on her face was completely priceless.

"Cupcake?"

"Do you prefer Pumpkin?" Marissa offered innocently.

Another step back.

"Pumpkin?!"

Marissa gave her a smile, before making a shoo motion with her hand.

"Oh, go on, Sugarplum, you'll be late for work."

Alex rubbed the bridge of her nose, before turning around. Wordlessly, she walked to the front door, opened it and only then turned to Marissa.

"By the way, for the sake of this relationship, I'm going to pretend that this did not happen. I shall make myself believe that you were not cheesy and lame enough to say those horrible things and this was all a bad dream. Okay?"

She directed a sharp look at Marissa, who immediately nodded. But the smile still etched on her face was a clear indication of how seriously she took that threatening glare.

"Okay... Honey Bunny."

Blink. Blink.

Without a word, Alex walked out of the door and closed it after herself with a bang. However, she opened it barely a moment later just to stick her head in and announce,

"You're extremely weird."

"Yeah."

"Call me later?"

"Yeah."

Alex nodded, more to herself than anyone else, before withdrawing from her apartment and closing the door behind her for good this time. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket and started to make her way down the hallway.

A smile spread across her face as she did so.

Life was good.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

Marissa was in the bathroom, in middle of an enthusiastic attempt to dry her hair, when she suddenly heard a loud knock on Alex's front door.

She halted her movements, trying to decide if she had really heard a knock. She figured she must've had, when she heard another one a moment later. She turned towards the door a little, unable to decide whether she should bother answering it or not. After all, Alex isn't home and wouldn't be anyways at this time. If it was someone important, they'd have to know that, right?

Another, more insistent knock.

But maybe it was someone Alex sent there to pick something up? What if it really was important? Marissa threw a critical look at herself in the mirror. Only clad in a towel, she was in no condition to go open the door.

Maybe she should...

Wait.

What the hell?

She froze, hearing the front door being opened. Her decision quickly made, she let the towel fall onto the ground, thanking god she had undressed in the bathroom. Pulling her clothes on as fast – but as quietly – as possible, she listened to the steps that could be now heard in the living room.

"ALEX?"

A woman. Definitely.

"ALEX, WHERE ARE YOU?"

The footsteps distanced; she probably checked the bedroom. Then they started to get closer to her. Soon, she could hear the footsteps come to an abrupt halt in front of the bathroom door.

She quickly pulled on her shirt, tugging it down just as the handle of the bathroom door was pushed down harshly. She let out a soft sigh, sending out a big 'Thank you' to the unnamed person, who invented locks.

"Alex?"

Marissa squared her shoulders, getting ready to unlock the door so she could try to explain herself, when words flittered through the wooden door. She froze. All sorts of thoughts, none of them which made sense, instantly invaded her brain.

"Why haven't you returned _any_ of my phone calls? And where the fuck is my lucky bra?"

There had to be an explanation. A perfectly good one of why a strange female would just walk into Alex's apartment and ask about her underwear. She tried her best to think of what that explanation could be, but a moment later she gave up. If there was one, she couldn't figure it out.

...But someone else could.

Slowly, Marissa unlocked the door.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

**A/N –** I did some editing to get rid of the grammar mistakes and one in the timelines – What used to be Ryan's birthday quickly became a regular small get together, since Ryan's birthday is in March, while in about a month in House timeline there will be secret Santa's (Which sets this chapter in November)

... You probably didn't even know, notice nor care, but yeah... :D

**Love you,  
Author**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Do you know those bad days? The ones that may start okay, but then get more and more awful by the minute and you can't do anything to stop it? Have you ever had one of those days?

Because as Marissa Cooper stepped out of that bathroom, she was damn sure she was about to have one of those days.

"Finally! I thought you were just going to hide in there till I friggin'..."

Marissa kept her eyes on the ground as she turned and closed the door behind her with a quiet click. She noticed the fact that the woman had stopped speaking all of the sudden, probably aware now, that she was not in fact Alex. Still, unlike some, she actually had a permission to be here.

With that thought, she looked up at the other woman defiantly. However, as soon as the image she now saw reached her brain... it was bye bye defiance. See, she had prepared herself for a lot of things, but the woman in front of her was so not one of those.

She had to admit that the Latina in front of her was... striking in the lack of better words. A lean figure similar to her own; long, dark and slightly curly hair and sharp chocolate eyes aimed right at her own. Yeah, striking was a good word. Especially considering the fact that she looked as if she was about to strike her down. Possibly with a baseball bat she had hidden somewhere nearby.

Unwilling to open her mouth and thus possibly give the other woman a reason to get out that hidden baseball bat of hers, she just kept staring back at her.

Facing off to each other, Marissa could almost hear that cowboy soundtrack in the background – no not the yiiihaa or the theme of Bonanza – but that song that always happened to be put on when two cowboy's narrowed eyes at each other in a movie and held their hands to their guns, while a single tumbleweed rolled across the street.

Yeah, that soundtrack.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Cue the end of the soundtrack.

"I could ask you the same thing," Marissa retort immediately.

"This is Alex's apartment!"

"That doesn't mean it's yours," Marissa reasoned, tucking a wet strand of hair behind her hear. "Unless you suddenly live here too." There was a small pause and suddenly her eyes widened a little. "Wait do you – do you live here?"

Taken aback, the other woman's brow furrowed as she looked at her.

"What? No." A moment later, she asked, horrified, "Wait, don't tell me you friggin' moved in again." Without letting Marissa get a single word in, she continued, "Jesus fuckin' Chist, this is unbelievable. What the hell is she thinking?" Hands were thrown into air in a dramatic fashion. "This is going to blow up in both of your faces. Again! And while I don't give a damn about you, Alex doesn't need this. AGAIN!"

"Hey!" Marissa was pretty sure there was something akin of an insult hiding in that rant, so she had the urge to deflect some of it. "This is none of your business. Why are you even here?"

"Why are _you _here?"

"I asked you first."

"I don't give a damn about that either! What are you doing here?"

Marissa looked at the woman again. Jodie... Jodie what? Did she even know her last name? Probably not and if she did, she had forgotten it long ago. Yet the face had remained etched into her memories. When fifteen minutes ago, she wouldn't even have remembered that there was another girl with Alex back in the O.C, then now she remembered every time she met her.

And wow, she really didn't remember her being so bold... nor kinda mean and scary.

"I was taking a shower," she finally relented, before flicking her hair a little. "Your turn."

"That doesn't count," Jodie stated without even a small pause. "That's like me telling you, I'm here to breathe or something! You can obviously take a shower elsewhere. Why the hell are you at Alex's apartment? Again?"

"Okay, enough with the agains," Marissa snapped back, her attitude roaring back at the Latina a little. "I get it, alright? And – and Alex and I, we...uh..."

"You slept with her?" Jodie seemed almost... relieved. She then sighed, "But I have a feeling this is still going to give me one hell of a headache in the end."

Marissa, slightly flushed either from the embarrassment or the angry exasperation she felt towards the other woman, started to move around the apartment looking for her stuff. While she did so, she pointed out, just a tad bit spitefully,

"Actually, this is still none of your business!" She grabbed her jacket from the hanger and looked at her suddenly, "Unless you're still hung up on her?"

"What?" Jodie wheeled around to stare at Marissa, who had her back turned towards her while she moved around to get her handbag. "Listen, I got over Alex a long time ago. Now, I just don't want her messing around with chicks like you. And here I was thinking she had TASTE when picking out her one-night-stands."

"I'm not a..."

Angry and about to find a handy item to use as a baseball bat of her own, Marissa wheeled around, just to be taken aback when she noticed Jodie suddenly invading her personal space.

Something almost like pity shone on her face obviously directed at Marissa.

"That's what they all think, babe," the Latina finally murmured. Even though Marissa practically towered over her, her confidence didn't waver. "Just 'cause you have a past or whatever won't mean she'll go and change herself for you. Been there, tried that." A small tilt of the head. "Actually, maybe it's about time you got what you dished out."

With that swipe at her, Jodie turned around and casually sauntered towards the door.

"By the way, if Alex ever calls ya again," She paused, looking over her shoulder. "Which I wouldn't bet on by the way, be a sweetheart and tell her I dropped by."

With that, she made her exit from the apartment.

For a moment, Marissa just stood there, her jacket almost on and her handbag dangling in her left hand. It would've been so easy to just close her eyes and pretend that all of this hadn't happened. Yet, everything Jodie had said rang clearly in her mind.

And now she just didn't know what the hell she should think.

So, instead of thinking, she shrugged on her jacket and grabbed the single key from the counter, locking the door and dropping the key into the mailbox just as Alex had asked her to. She took a deep breath as she soon found herself in front of the building. Fresh air was good, fresh air would help her get her head a little clearer, fresh air...

...wasn't doing anything. Besides, it's not that fresh of an air in the city.

Marissa crossed the street and unlocked the car, shivering a little as she started it and turned on the heating. She looked at the empty street thoughtfully, while flicking through the radio channels without even paying any attention to them.

Finally, unable to take it, she reached for the phone in her pocket. It took her less then five seconds to find Alex's number and hit the dial button.

She waited for her to pick up without even knowing what she was going to say.

"_Hey, is it urgent? Because I'm a bit busy right now."  
_

Marissa leant back into her seat, biting her lip and once again flicking the radio from which an annoying lovesong had flittered through, as she quietly replied,

"I don't even know."

There seemed to be a shuffle on Alex's end and then some soft murmuring between someone Marissa couldn't hear properly and then it was all Alex again.

_"Okay, what's going on?" _

"Well, just five minutes ago a woman practically broke into your apartment looking for a bra," Marissa started slowly, frowning as she hit the radio button again – more forcefully this time. What the hell, were there no decent songs on air today. She listened to the breathing on the other end. "Okay, maybe I'm ov..."

_"Wait, who was it?"_

"Jodie."

_ "Just Jodie?"_ Relief wasn't very hard to identify in Alex's voice; even by phone.

"Just Jodie?" Marissa repeated slowly. "Who else could it have been, Alex?"

Yet again, there was just breathing on the other side and that's when Marissa accepted it.

"She wasn't joking was she?"

_"Who?"_ Alex asked.

"Jodie," Marissa sighed, looking at a small kid who slid past her on a skateboard. "So, how many one night stands have you had?"

"_Marissa, I..."_

"No, you don't have to say anything. It's really none of my business," the brunette in the car cut her off, before sighing. "Alex, it's fine. It's not like we... we didn't... It was fun, right?"

"What?" There was another shuffle at Alex's end. "Damn it, House. I can't ... Okay, Marissa, listen, I really, really have to go, but can I call you later?"

"Maybe you shouldn't," Marissa finally revved the engine. "There's no reason for this to get complicated."

_"It's not..."_

"Bye, Alex."

**XxXxXxXxXx  
**  
"And you just hung up on her?" Summer stared at her with wide eyes over her enormous bowl of ice cream. "Why?"

"Did you not hear me tell you how Jodie just pranced in looking for underwear?" Marissa exclaimed, stealing a spoonful of ice cream from Summer, who swatted at her. "She has one night stands and evidentially, one of them was me."

"No you weren't," Summer replied, smacking Marissa's hand again as she dug her spoon into her bowl again. "And get your own damn sundae."

"How do you know I wasn't?" the taller of the two countered, completely ignoring the remark about the sundae.

"Hello, you spent way more than a night there," Summer spoke matter-of-factly. "And you had like dates, didn't you?"

"One," Marissa frowned. "Isn't that a sign of a casual thing? If you only have one date and way more sex?"

"I think it's supposed to be in balance or something," her best friend licked her spoon thoughtfully. "Maybe 3-to-1 is okay. Then it's not just a casual thing."

A small pause.

"Then it was like a super casual thing," Marissa sighed, scooping up another tiny mountain of ice cream. Because of the slightly broken look on her face, Summer didn't even have the heart to stop her. "I didn't even consider that option, you know." She leant her head on the shoulder of her pregnant best friend. "But obviously, she did and ..."

Marissa did a little hand gesture that only Summer, being her best friend and all, could identify.

"You sure you got this right?" she looked down on the head resting on her shoulder. "I mean you didn't even give the girl a chance to explain herself. And you did say she was about to go to your mom's party with you. That's more dedication than you get out of me sometimes."

"I don't know," Marissa spoke morosely. "Remember, my relationships never work out. Ever. Maybe I should've learnt from my mistakes. Me and Alex, we don't work out. And just because we had a small, really bumpy past, doesn't mean I should push it. It was fun and it's over. We both need to move on." There was a small exhale. "Maybe I should move on to become a nun. It would suit me. Life would be easier."

"Don't give up," Summer tapped her forearm with a ice cream-y spoon. "So okay, it's strike two with you and Alex. At least this time you broke up over actual sex not because of some googly eyes you did at other people."

"A-ha, but that's not true. See, a casual thing means you're not in an actual relationship and if you're not in a relationship you can't break up." There was a moment of silence, before Marissa tilted her head. "How are you doing anyways? Weren't you on bed rest?"

Summer dug into her ice cream. It was obvious that Marissa was ready to move on from the subject that was Alex.

"Well, I was supposed to be, but you have no idea how boring it was. I mean, there's only so much reruns of 'The Valley' a woman can handle. Besides, it's not like someone came to visit me," A look at her best friend, "Obviously, I'm only good when I'm needed."

"Hey, that's unfair. You know I love you, but it's just..." Marissa grinned a little. "We've all been there when you're hormonal and on bed rest."

"Just so you'd know, the repair costs weren't all that high," Summer replied snidely, a small smile appearing on her face. Then it was replaced by a small frown. "Oh and I have a friend – or well, she's the aunt of a friend of the stepmonster, who needs your services."

"You're not trying to set me up with someone, are you?" Marissa raised an eyebrow at Summer, who chuckled softly. "Cause I thought you hated your stepmother."

"Trust me, that chick is not your type," her friend reassured her. "And I do hate the stepmonster and her friend actually. But the friend's aunt is pretty cool." Suddenly something dawned on Summer's face and she turned sharply towards Marissa, thus making the taller of the two withdraw her head from her shoulder. "Coop, you know what I did?" Her voice lowered. "I was so bored and lonely that I stole Princess Sparkle from Sophie."

Marissa took a look at the very sad and depressed look that suddenly appeared on her best friend, before asking,

"And now you're feeling guilty?"

Summer looked at her.

"What? No, I'm just sad because when I went to pee for the fifteenth time yesterday, Sophie managed to steal her back from me." She looked around the kitchen, before climbing off the stool. She groaned a little and murmured something about her back, before a gleeful grin appeared on her face. "And now I'm on the quest to get my pony back."

Marissa, being an adult of twentish and all, gave her a look.

"You're really going to steal away the toy you gave her as a 'heritage' by your own words?"

Summer blinked at her.

"Coop, I'm 32 weeks pregnant, I'm bored, really hormonal and I miss Princess Sparkles. Do you really want to have this conversation with me?"

Marissa's lips curled a little at the sight of the shorter and very pregnant girl in front of her. She then grabbed her ice cream-y spoon and brandished it as a weapon as she hopped off the kitchen stool.

"Off we go then."

Summer beamed at her as she started to paddle away heading towards the area Marissa knew her 6-year-old sister-in-law lived. While she did, she kept humming a song, which Marissa would finally recognize once Summer begun to use words.

"Briiiiiing baaaack, briiiiing baaaack, bring back my pony to meeee, to meeee."

Marissa chuckled, before linking arms with Summer.

At least a slightly insane Summer was a constant thing in her life.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

**  
A/N **- I'm thinking of changing this into a Foreteen story. What do you think?

And yes that is a horrible joke which will never be made again. Ever. By the way, I officially hate the person who came up with that pairing. I mean... What THE hell?! I had high hopes for 13 ever since I saw Lucky Thirteen, but Foreman?! Really, 13, really? He's so... boring and... **bald.**

_*Sobs*_

Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Not as fluffy as per usual for me, but you know, story needs a change of pace and all. Also, Jodie is here thanks to the reviews as I didn't even remember her. However, now I do and here she is and I'm thinking she might turn out to be less of a bitch than it seemed.

It's a long A/N, so if you read it all, give yourself a pat on the back. You can give yourself two if you also take your time to review :D  
**  
Love you,  
Me**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

"Girls confuse me," she admitted, lifting her drink to her lips again. "Why do they do that? Why can't they just be sane? I mean, I'm sane, right? I don't just call people and say insane things, without listening to their sane responses. Only insane people do that." She paused and looked at her conversation partner. "Why can't girls be just a little saner?"

Mike scratched the back of his ear with his pen.

"If you with your boobs and vajayjay can't understand women, then men are the last people you should ask. Seriously."

He casually slid a drink towards the other end of the bar, where it was grabbed by a burly man, who grumbled slightly as he took it and left the bar, drink in hand.

"Ya know, the way they keep complaining, it's like I'm only here to serve them or something," the bartender spoke incredulously, throwing a towel over his shoulder, as he leant forward towards Alex. "So now what? No more Malex loving?"

The brunette on the other side peered at him over her J.D.

"The what loving?"

"Malex," the man gave her a wolfish grin. "I heard it's what all the cool kids do nowadays. You take some of the first person's name and some of the other's and then mix them up and you get a pairing. So Marissa and Alex would equal Malex, get it?"

Alex pursed her lips, drowned her drink and only then shook her head.

"It makes no sense, cause well, why do I get like four letters and she only gets one." She pursed her lips. "And ya know what? That could easily mean like Alex and... Mildred or Millicent or something."

She played with her empty glass.

"Yeah, I'd probably have more luck with a Millicent than a Marissa anyways, because Alex and Marissa, they never," she looked into Mike's eyes and stressed, "Never work out. It always just ends and you just do not see it coming. It's like on one moment it's there and then..." she snapped her fingers. "Poof. It's gone. Rest in peace, Malex. Rest in peace."

She handed her empty glass to the bartender.

"One for the memorial, please."

Mike sighed before refilling her glass. It was his job after all.

"Not gonna call her then?"

"She told me not to," Alex replied. "Which I should, you know, to explain myself, but then I'll completely disregard what she asked me to do and then, then she won't pick up anyways and I'll just make a fool out of myself."

"No," she shook her head, scoping the bar a little. "I'm better off with a Millicent anyways." She pursed her lips. "Sooo... do any of them look like a Millicent to you?"

"Not really, no," Mike looked around thoughtfully. He then hmm-ed and nodded towards a corner, "She might pass for a Mildred, tho."

Alex glanced back at him and shook her head ever-so-softly.

"I really suck at relationships," she finally stated, "Which is why I usually just go for the sex. Way more simple."

"You make it sound so easy," Mike frowned, before flinging another drink to a customer. "Some of us can't get one without the other."

"Some of us shouldn't get one without the other," Alex retort, lifting her glass. She saw Mike's eyes go to something behind her. Sipping her drink, she was about to turn to see what it was, but had no reason to as the object of Mike's interest already slid onto the stool next to her.

"What she's having," she told to the bartender, who nodded in response and faster than Alex had ever seen him do, whipped up the drink for the newcomer.

The doctor couldn't help the curl of her lips.

Here he went again.

"Strong thing for a small one like you," he placed the drink in front of the girl next to Alex. "But I bet you can handle it, can't you?"

The girl in front of him sighed,

"I'm gay," she spoke slowly, as she accepted her drink, seemingly talking to a three-year-old. "Completely and utterly gay. So gay in fact, that if you type 'gay' into Google, a picture of me will pop up." She then looked at Alex. "Seriously, I posted the pictures myself."

"Mike, Jodie, Jodie, Mike," Alex spoke without looking up from her drink. "Mike's my good friend and the man with liquor, Jodie's..." she trailed off.

"Probably in a deep load of crap," Jodie supplied helpfully to Mike, lifting a glass as if in toast. She continued, eyes still on Mike. "So, you gonna tell me what the fuck was Marissa Cooper doing in your apartment the other day?"

A moment of silence.

"Showering."

"Seriously, what's with you people and your stupid need to state the obvious," the Latina suddenly frowned at the man listening in right in front of her, making Mike scatter immediately, actually willing to do his job for a change. She turned to the woman next to her. "What's going on?"

"Nothing. And could you not scare Mike? He's cool," the brunette defended his liquor supplier, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Just has the habit to hit on lesbians."

Jodie, aware that her friend wasn't even looking at her, tapped her fingers against the bar.

"Okay, I'll lay off the lesbian harasser or whatever, but could you at least look at me? Given how you've completely ignored my calls the past few days, I've gotten the impression that you might be just a tad bit pissed at me, but this is getting fucking ridiculous. What the hell did I do wrong this time?"

Alex finally turned to look at her.

"You tell me. Why the hell did Marissa just suddenly call me and break things off, speaking about some bras, you and one-night stands, which I'm guessing you told her about?"

Obviously having figured out that it was the reason Alex was mad at her way earlier, Jodie already had a heated response ready,

"I was caught off guard too, you know? It's not like my best friend would, I don't know, actually tell me about hooking up with a friggin' blast from past with killer legs and boobs."

"I didn't tell you because I knew you'd make a big deal out of it."

"Isn't it?" Jodie's reply this time was quieter, more subdued. "Been around for a while, Lexy. No girl has ever got you this wound up. Ever. Not even me with all the crap I've pulled."

There was a silence between the two of them, the buzz of the bar not even registering to them.

"Yeah," a ghost of a smile on her lips, Alex looked at her. "You've pulled a lot of crap."

Jodie stared back at her, before giving her a full-fledged grin,

"Yeah, that I have, eh?"

Alex hmm-ed, suddenly feeling lighter than she had before. Somehow, Jodie always had that effect on her.

"So, you and the rich brat. Actually like... dating and all that?"

"We are. We were, I think. Maybe," Alex, the educated doctor she was, grinned. "I have no idea. It's never easy with her."

"Women are just too insane," Jodie agreed, surprised, when Alex laughed softly.

"Been saying that all night, actually." She nudged her best friend softly. "I figured, with Mike's help, that that's the reason Malex never survives."

Jodie swallowed her mouthful with a twitch of her nose.

"Malex? What the hell is that?"

"It's me and Marissa. Or possibly me and Mabel," Alex replied matter-of-factly. "It's a long story."

Jodie shrugged off her jacket and waved towards the bartender she had scared away barely minutes ago. Mike, slightly apprehensive for obvious reasons, approached them.

"Could we have two more of these, please?" Jodie asked, pleasantly, might one add, as she pushed a crisp bill into his hands.

"Ya, uh, right away," he nodded, before turning to Alex and adding, from the corner of his mouth so the crazy gay chick wouldn't hear him, "Next time, could ya warn me, please?"

"Too amusing, sorry," Alex replied honestly, grinning when Mike harrumphed, gave them their glasses and walked back to the other side of the bar, where he seemed to proceed to hit on a blonde.

"She's so gay," Jodie murmured, her eyes following the guy.

"If Mike's hitting on her, then most likely yeah," the response came quickly. The brunette then turned a little. "So, you want to hear the long story?"

"Took off my jacket, didn't I?" The Latina gestured to her removed item of clothing. "I'll even promise not to comment of the lackings of the brat."

"Jodes..."

"Fine, Marissa, whatever," she grinned, picking up her drink. "So what is she doing nowadays?"

Alex was sure Jodie was expecting something she could make fun of, so a little, just a teeny tiny part of her, was kinda gleeful as she replied,

"Oh, she's a lawyer."

Jodie's glass hovered by her mouth as her eyebrows rose to heights previously unknown.

"Did she like pay her way through school?!"

"Jodie..."

"Sorry," the woman, held up her free hand in defence, before asking, "But did she?"

"No."

Jodie squinted her eyes.

"Are you sure?"

"Jodes! Do you want me to tell you or not?"

The shorter and darker of the two, gave her a look of innocence, stuck up her middle finger and drew a halo around her head, while pulling closer a bowl of peanuts.

"Shoot," she finally murmured.

And so Alex did.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

4:00 A.M

That's what the clock on the bedside read, when she finally fell into the bed, face first.

"Get up," a voice murmured by her side. She would've but god, she was way too lazy. And it was all the bed's fault. It was way too nice and soft and so waaaarm.

"And here I was absolutely sure you knew your own limits."

A soft amused chuckle.

"I do know my limits," she murmured, not sure if her friend actually heard her, given how her face was firmly stuck to the mattress and all.

"Uh-uh, sure."

So she did hear her.

Suddenly two hands firmly tugged on her sides, prying her off the bed ever-so-slightly. She sat up, slightly dazed.

"Hands."

Feeling sluggish, she did her best to raise her arms over her head. Luckily, her pathetic attempt seemed to be enough, as the blouse slid off her, followed by her T-shirt. She shifted back into the bed, as fingers, not as nimble as usual, but still quite capable, undid her jeans, sliding them off as well.

"Thank you," she murmured, casually pulling back the covers and getting under them just like she had all those times before. The bed shifted just a little a while later, keeping her from the slumber she was about to fall into.

She turned towards the person behind her and then tried to prop herself up on her elbow. Being as buzzed as she was, it took her two attempts. However, when she finally managed, she grinned at the girl in her bed.

"You know what, dude?" she asked.

"What?" sleepily, but with a tint of amusement.

"I still haven't found my lucky bra."

Alex chuckled at the obviously drunken girl, before nudging her just a little, instantly demolishing the work the girl had put into trying to prop herself up. Now on her back, the girl spoke, seriously out of the sudden,

"Oh and Lexy?"

"Mhm?"

"I think you should go to that stupid party?"

"Don't you think we've done enough partying for a while?" Alex shifted, sliding one of her hands under her pillow. "Cause I think we have."

"No, I don't mean our cool type of parties, but that lame one. The one you were invited to," Jodie curled onto her side, yawning as well. "You should go."

"Really?"

Even in the dark, Alex could see her best friend nod into the mattress.

"Ya, really, you loser."

Jodie then proceeded to let the tiredness and the liquor in her system take over. Sleep came in record time, but just when she was about to cross the final line, she heard the soft,

"Thanks, Jodes."

Too tired to actually response, she just hmm-ed.

Alex smiled, following the lead of her sleepy – and really drunk – friend, glad that if anything, she could always count on Jodie to have her back whenever she needed it.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

**A/N** – So this was Alex on her Friday night. Lucky B, she has tomorrow off. Oh, how I envy her. Anyways, some Jodie's-not-a-complete-bitch scenery to build up character, some foreshadowing how the story will go and some me, finally updating.

I think it's been a good day.

Don't you?

-Love, the author ^^


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N** – My knowledge about lawyers is really tiny so I apologize for any factual errors or whatever. If you notice a big one, feel free to drop me an email and say: "Fix it, biatch." I'd probably do it if you asked so nicely ^^

**Chapter 17**

"Summer Roberts."

Marissa came to a halt behind the traffic lights and adjusted the earphone in her left ear.

"Hey, Sum. It's me," she spoke, tapping her fingernails against the steering wheel while she waited. "I'm on my way to the city."

"Oh," the excited voice of her best friend in her ear made the brunette wince. "So you're helping her out?"

"Well, according to you she seems to have enough reasons for a lawsuit," Marissa sighed, glancing at the still red light. "Might as well go and give her a consult."

"She's a cool lady," Marissa heard as the light finally switched, allowing her to start driving again. "A little senile sometimes, but all around adorable. If you're patient with her, she'll probably follow your every suggestion."

Marissa hmm-ed.

"I guess I'll find out when I meet her. Which brings me to the reason I called. I, uh, kinda lost the address you gave me."

"Again?"

"Don't mock me, I had a late night, okay," Marissa grinned.

"Ooh, a hot date?"

"Yeah, cause me and my mom... oh, come friggin' ON!" the brunette groaned, coming to halt yet again. Throwing a killer look at the red flashing traffic lights above her, she added, "You know, I really hate the traffic here."

"The traffic sucks everywhere on Monday mornings, Coop," Summer replied matter-of-factly, her voice suddenly muffled. "And yes, I am eating and no, don't even think of judging me. Shut up."

"Didn't say a thing," Marissa, just a bit amused, glanced onto her left. Her eyes widened and she quickly turned her eyes front again. "Woah."

"What?" Summer asked immediately.

Marissa, having smoothly raised a hand to cover the left side of her face, lowered it just a little to peek at the car – or actually the driver – next to her. Alex had lowered her head just a little, looking straight at her, obviously as surprised as she was.

Noticing that the light was yellow now, Marissa gave the other brunette a slightly awkward, and okay, maybe just a little bit geeky, half-wave and sped off.

"What?" Marissa literally jerked at the voice in her ear. "Coop, what happened?"

"Uh, nothing," the driver once again lowered the volume on her headset, before asking, "So what's the address again?"

Summer, having looked it up three times already, didn't have any troubles doing so one more time. So about thirty minutes later Marissa found herself in front of a small two story house right at the outskirts of New Jersey.

Collecting her things, she made her way to the door and knocked. And then she knocked again. And one more time. She was about to give up and walk away, when the door opened slowly.

A little stout woman stood in front of her, dark-rimmed glasses in front of her eyes and her gray hair up in what seemed to be a mixture of a French braid and a mess. For a moment she just stared up at her in confusion, but then her eyes lit up.

"You must be Summer's friend."

"I, yeah, Marissa Cooper," the brunette reached out her hand, which the older woman immediately grasped and shook enthusiastically.

"Gertha Kane. But please, do come in," she stepped aside, giving Marissa room to enter. "I'm sorry it took so long. My hearing hasn't been the same for a while." She sighed. "And all these companies selling these hearing devices seem to be all talk." She peered up at the younger woman. "I can't sue all of them, can I?"

Marissa's eyebrows rose. She opened her mouth, but the older woman beat her to it by chuckling.

"I am just making a silly joke," she admitted, leading Marissa to a living room. "Let them be, I say. Daft are the people who actually buy all of them." The friendly lady gestured towards the sofa. "Please, take a seat. Can I get you something? Coffee? Tea? Cookies? Anything?"

Marissa shook her head, lifting up her suitcase.

"No, I'm fine. I just wanted to talk to you about the lawsuit."

"You youngsters nowadays," Gertha smoothed her long plaid skirt as she sat down in the armchair nearby. "Nobody has time for coffee and cookies anymore. But please, do continue. You know, Summer says the nicest things about you."

"Well, as my best friend, she's not completely unbiased, is she?" Marissa spoke with a small grin. "Anyways, if you could just tell me what happened? So I could compose an official complaint."

The old woman shifted in her seat.

"I'm actually been having doubts, to be completely frank," she finally spoke, wringing her hands together. "I've been going to that hospital ever since it opened and they're usually really nice to me. Actually, I wouldn't even have agreed to this if my niece hadn't been so very adamant about it."

"Your niece?"

"Yes. She seems to think it would be morally important for me to do this, but it seems so silly if I really think about it. Doctor House has always been..."

"Wait." Marissa's head snapped up from the laptop she had opened. "Excuse me? Did you say doctor House?"

"Oh yes," Gertha nodded, her face wrinkling a little more as she frowned. "He's always been very straight-to-the-point sort of a man, but during my last appointment he was just rather rude and, and well, I felt rather violated."

Marissa peered at her from over the edge of her laptop, ready to type down everything necessary.

"What exactly happened? Your niece was rather certain that you deserve a huge monetary settlement for what occurred."

"Huge?" The old lady blinked in surprise. "Well, I don't know. Maybe just a thousand dollars? Or a hundred? Or well, if he just said 'sorry' I'd be satisfied."

Marissa's brow furrowed. Slowly she lifted the laptop and placed it on the table nearby.

Gertha merely smiled at her.

"Would you like some tea and cookies now?"

The brunette tilted her head.

"That would be nice, yes."

**XxXxXxXxXx **

It was a Wednesday morning. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, the cars were rushing by the Princeton-Plainsboro hospital and House was in danger of being sued.

This is what Lisa Cuddy called a regular Wednesday morning. When the first few times she had been ready to run him over with her car, then now she just went through the motions.

That's why she sat behind her desk, shifting the papers and trying to appear nervous, so it'd look like she didn't do this every other week. She was ready to pretend that this happened really rarely and that she _really_ cared about this individual case. Her little act ready, she innocently glanced up.

One big problem with having huge glass doors.

You see what's coming a mile away.

So when she looked up and saw the hospital's short bald lawyer with a scowl on his face pattering towards her office with the girl, who had been poisoned in her hospital and who had then proceeded to win a lawsuit against one of the hugest hospitals on East Coast, she was terrified for a reason.

The papers she had tried to shift fell and clattered to the floor.

Oh god no.

She was sure she didn't look a little nervous when Baldy – come on, everybody in the damn hospital called him that – walked into her office followed by Marissa Cooper. No, she looked downright horrified.

She was going to kill House slowly and painfully. Screw running him over with a car. She was going to rip off his good leg and proceed to hammer him to death with it. And she was so going to enjoy every minute of it.

"This is Marissa Cooper," Baldy introduced the tall brunette.

The man was good at stating the obvious. Winning important cases – not so much.

"Yes, I believe we've met before," Cuddy casually pulled the papers on the floor towards herself with the tip of her shoe, before she stood up, offering the younger woman her hand. "Nice to see you again, Ms. Cooper."

The girl's lips curled as she returned the handshake.

"Not sure if nice is the word I would use in your position, considering why I'm here," she admitted, still smiling as she took the seat opposite of Cuddy. "You do know why I'm here, right?"

"I have been made aware of it, yes," Cuddy spared a glance at the short bald man standing by the wall. "However, I hadn't been informed about the severity of the situation."

Her eyes flittered back to the stunning brunette, who seemed rather happy to be there. Then again, she was about to inform the Dean of Medicine about suing them, probably for so much money that the hospital was going to have to send groups of people out to beg for money to buy bandages.

She was SO going to kill House.

"It's not that severe," Marissa replied, shrugging. "Maybe a little unconventional, but it could have been worse."

Cuddy sighed, throwing another stink eye at the man, who hadn't even given her a tiniest bit of a clue about this, before addressing Marissa,

"I'm sure that we can reach a settlement. Our establishment is very sorry about what happened to you and we are willing to..."

Why did she even have a lawyer if he was just going to stand there, looking bored?

"Hey, hold on," Marissa glanced between the bald man and Cuddy. "I think there's been a misunderstanding. I'm here as a representative of Mrs. Gertha Kane? I sent over the so called paperwork two days ago."

The short man by the wall sniffed.

"I apologize," he spoke rather stiffly, before placing a small paper in front of his boss. "I forgot."

If Lisa Cuddy could smack her employees, she would. Often.

"Thank you," she spoke dryly, scanning over the surprisingly short letter. "Hold on. What?"

She looked at the brunette who was grinning back at her.

"Seriously, that's what she wants?"

"It's not an official demand nor a settlement. However, she's completely willing to drop the intentions of suing him, if he does it," Marissa replied, shrugging her shoulder. "I reckoned you should have an opportunity to weigh the options. The costs of doing this through the legal system wouldn't be worth it in the end."

"But this is... I was told you had the intention of suing the hospital."

"Only if this request isn't fulfilled."

Lisa threw a look at her lawyer, who stared back at her defiantly, before grumbling.

"I find that this demand is ridiculous," he spoke, pursing his lips. "Unless the claim is official, there is no proof of that this isn't just a ploy to embarrass the name of this hospital. I believe that we should settle this as a legal matter not as a joke of some sort."

"If he doesn't do this, Mrs. Kane will file a complaint on the base of moral incompetence," Marissa leant back into her chair. "And I will make sure she wins."

The short man seethed at her.

"I'd like to see you..."

"No, you wouldn't," Cuddy cut in sharply. She glanced at the young woman and held up the paper. "I can make this easily happen. Actually, I'd enjoy making this happen. Is Mrs. Kane with you today?"

A smile crossed Marissa's lips.

"I was hoping you'd say that. Mrs. Kane had an important appointment, but she promised to be here as soon as possible."

"Very well," Lisa, previously having been on the edge of a nervous meltdown, felt a little giddy all of the sudden. Then she remembered something. "Mr. Baldwin?"

"Yes?"

"I believe I don't need your professional opinion on this case. You're free to go." She paused, before adding. "Also, I would like to talk to you later today."

The man opened his mouth, closed it and walked out the office, having an appearance of a flustered penguin as he did so.

Marissa watched him go and then spoke,

"Charming guy."

"He hasn't been here for long; I doubt he'll stay for much longer," Cuddy replied, picking up the papers she had dropped earlier. "We change lawyers often."

"Because of doctor House?"

Cuddy placed the papers in a stack and nodded.

"He's a good doctor though. One of the best diagnostics in the world." She paused. "Just don't tell him that – you'd never heard the end of it," she glanced at the young woman. "So you're really not going to sue us?"

"Not on the behalf of myself and probably not on the behalf of Mrs. Kane either." Marissa admitted. "She's grown rather attached to the place. She just felt a little violated during her examination."

The tall brunette smiled.

"Technically I'm not even here as a lawyer, since we have no legal paperwork or anything. I'm just a ... concerned friend, one might say."

"Well, I'm relieved to hear that," Cuddy spoke honestly, for the first time returning the younger woman's smile. "Do you have an idea when she'll be here?"

"Actually, I think I should step outside and call her," Marissa rose from her seat.

Cuddy nodded and Marissa left the office.

The Dean of Medicine then turned towards her computer. Coming to a decision, she started to type away. Merely minutes later she had accomplished what she had wanted to. In black and white, on a webpage called Jobs-For-Everyone, there stood,

_"Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital is looking for a lawyer."_

**XxXxXxXxXx**

**A/N** – Guess you want to know what happened on Saturday right? I mean, the party happened. However... tehehe, you won't actually know until next chapter.

Technically neither will I, because lately I've noticed that Marissa never does what I want her to. Instead of just going to the hospital she has to wave nerdishly at Alex _(who wasn't even supposed to be there!)_ and then drop by some weird old lady's house.

Bad, Marissa!

Except I kinda like it. If I just come up with things as this progresses. Makes it more substantial, more spontaneous. Like life.

Long A/N. It's my thing. I'm owning up to it.

**Thanks for reading guys.**

Love, me **  
**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N – EDITED VERSION POSTED ON 11.09.2010**

**Chapter 18**

10th of December.

That's what the date was today. Barely the start of the second week of the month. Yet, the hospital – and New Jersey in general – was already imbued with holiday cheer. Only minutes ago, a fat guy in a red suit had hollered at Alex and scared the living daylights out of her. That's why she peeked around the next corner before rounding it, coffee cup firmly in hand.

An interesting kind of paranoia had overtaken her, one could say.

Though, all in all, she didn't mind the 'Santaphobia.' She actually liked the vibe it brought with it. See, while some people frowned at the early colourful decorations and wrinkled their noses at the nurses in red hats, she found something in it to enjoy. Something that made her happy and entertained her.

Current something being her good colleague Lawrence Kutner.

She came to a halt by the door to House's office, a large grin slowly appearing on her face. Having been gone for a few minutesto refill her coffee cup, she was glad to see that nothing had changed in the meanwhile. Kutner was still completely lost, covered in tinsel and bouncing up and down.

She didn't even bother trying to hide her grin as she sipped her coffee. Here she was, surveying a man, who had an amazing power to decorate and look like a rabid squirrel at the same time.

Remaining serious was impossible.

Overall, as far as the last few days went, events connected to decorations had sort of been the highlights of her days. There had been no cases that interested House. No interesting cases for him led to a lot of loitering for Alex. Loitering made the woman feel bored.

And while she and Kutner had brilliantly come to a conclusion that loitering together was slightly less boring, she still had some free time on her hands. Free time which she spent in three different ways: just hanging around pointlessly, the E.R and decorating – or watching others do it.

Yesterday, her idea had originally been to spend time in the E.R. Since House had been looking for someone with nothing useful to do, she had basically fled there as fast as she could.

Only, for some mysterious reason, there wasn't anything to really do there either. So once Taub had been given the paperwork, she had left, afraid Cameron would kick her out for trying to steal someone else's patient out of boredom.

It had happened before. By an accident.

Well… that's what Alex insisted on, anyways.

After leaving the E.R, Alex had ran into a group of nurses, who were doing their best to hang up some mistletoe. She, being pretty tall, managed to be useful there. So she spent ten minutes helping them place the little green nuisances and another ten making sure she could avoid them at all costs. Planning to return to House's office, she had then gone through the lobby.

Which is where she had found a rather large gathering of the hospital's employees. All huddled around the nurse's station, keeping an eye on what was going on by the Christmas tree they had brought in that day. She had joined them without hesitation, because she was _a)_ bored and _b)_ friggin' curious.

She had leant onto the counter, brows furrowed, and loudly wondered why no-one taller could help the poor guy in the corner. The poor guy being a scrawny and short orderly, standing on a small step-ladder, trying his damn hardest to hang a little shiny star on top of the enormous tree.

Chase had been the one to lean closer and shed light to the situation.

"It's tradition; happens every year." The blonde had grinned crookedly. "We have a betting pool going on about how long it'll take to get the star on top of it."

They had never found out what the 'scrawny lad' like Chase referred to him as, could actually do, because by the time Alex got settled in with the others, someone else had also noticed the unusual gathering. All good things must come to an end, they say. And this one was ended by none other than the Dean of Medicine herself.

Cuddy had casually passed through the lobby, when she noticed the large amount of people. Then, one glance at the corner later, she had merely sighed, and spoken,

"For god's sake, not again."

And before most people could even register her presence, she had ushered the tiny orderly away and climbed onto the top herself, securing the star as if she did it every year. Alex had later found out that she actually did and the betting pool was mostly meant for guessing when Cuddy would intervene. After having made two nurses a little richer, Cuddy had climbed down, looked at them and ordered them to go and do something useful.

For Alex, that meant loitering and being bored out of her mind.

But today, boredom didn't seem so likely. Not only had House told them they had a case, but Kutner was here to make sure she would not even think about being bored, by entertaining her far more than she thought humanly possible this early in the morning.

The man had been rather disappointed when he had arrived here yesterday just to realize that the office spaces had not been decorated like the rest of the hospital. And it would seem that today, he was trying to make up for it by as good as drowning the place in cheesy holiday decoration. Cursing on random intervals as he stood on his tippy toes on one of the chairs, trying so hard to make the tinsel actually stay on the lamp, he was just what Alex needed to enjoy her second cup of coffee even more than usual.

"What is he doing?"

Alex grinned, sipping her drink.

"Bringing holiday cheer to us all."

Kutner heard that and aimed a frown towards his two colleagues by the doorway.

"You could help, you know?"

Alex shook her head just like she had when Kutner had first asked her. She was sure House would eventually mock the Indian for it and she just didn't feel like sharing that kind of joy with the guy today.

Foreman however simply _looked_ at Kutner. A second later the Indian rolled his eyes and turned away. Reaching into the bag behind him, he pulled out a large stuffed Santa and admired it for just a moment. Then he casually placed it onto a shelf nearby.

Alex's grin widened when it fell down a moment later thanks to its big red and quite round behind. Kutner frowned, picked it up from the ground and shoved it back onto the shelf. He had barely turned, when it fell again.

"Are you kidding me?" The man spoke, evidentially to the Santa on the ground as he picked it up and stared at it. "Stay!"

Kutner then turned his menacing glare towards the shelves. Suddenly his expression changed. Brightened somehow. Alex kind of wished she had one of those portable light bulbs, because this would've been a perfect moment to use it. The man, showing the vast knowledge of physics he had acquired in all of his years in school, took the toy, shifted the books on the shelf into two piles and then shoved the Santa between them.

"Tadaa."

He turned towards them and Alex lifted her cup in a silent toast, letting her eyes wonder. It seemed that the guy was done. His bag, which he had claimed was full of holiday spirit earlier, lay on the table, looking empty. The office though looked like good ol' Holiday Spirit had gone and puked on it.

"So, what do you think?" His eager voice made her eyes flutter back to him. She opened her mouth to reply, brutal honesty seeming like the best solution, but didn't get to speak as a certain man brushed past her.

Finally deeming the room safe to move into, Foreman went past both of the doctors in silence. He proceeded to take a seat at the farther end of the table like he was used to and only then, after he had leant back in his chair and placed one of his hands on the table, he spoke, carelessly.

"It's not horrible."

Kutner's face fell at the praiseless reply.

"Okay, no candy canes for you," he responded snidely a second later, protectively clutching closer his last detail of the decor – a jar full of candy canes – as he turned towards Alex instead. "Thirteen?"

Alex, more than slightly annoyed by Foreman, decided telling the truth wasn't actually all that important. Besides, the guy had risked his own safety and health, while bringing her such joy. The least she could do was to return the favour.

"I... I like it," she spoke, seriously, nodding a little. "T'is the season."

When she looked back at the guy, Kutner was staring at her. The look on his face was just a tad bit creepy at first, but it kept getting creepier by every second he didn't blink. After a few long moments Alex seriously considered smacking him; just to see if he would react in any humane sort of way. However, a small grin appeared on Kutner's face then, widening a little as he held out his colourful jar towards her.

"Here," his brown eyes reminded her of a small puppy. "Have one of my candy canes. They're really yummy."

Alex blinked at the guy in silence, at first not moving a single move that would indicate her accepting his offer. However, when the man lifted up the jar, almost shoving her face in it, she finally gave him a small smile in return and pulled one out of the jar.

"Uh, thanks?"

"No problem," Kutner placed the rest of them onto the table. "You think House will be here soon?"

Alex shrugged, rolling the small candy cane between her fingers.

"Probably not," she spoke. "He's not even ten minutes late yet." She looked between the men, both of whom looked like they agreed with that statement. "So, I'm just gonna go, see what's holding Taub up in the lab. Be right back."

She casually discarded her now empty coffee cup on her way to the door, when she heard a small slapping sound.

"No! Don't touch those. You don't get to eat my candy canes, 'cause you're on my naughty list for mocking my hard work."

"I didn't even say much!"

"Exactly!"

Alex smirked to herself, as she departed from the office. Even the distant thought of Foreman doing anything naughty seemed ridiculous. And just to prevent her brain from reaching a point, where she would imagine Foreman do something naughty – and most likely scar herself for the rest of her natural life – she concentrated on something else.

Namely, the candy cane in her hand.

She really couldn't remember the last time she had had one of those. Or what one tasted like. She stared at it.

To suck or not to suck.

That was indeed the question.

After all, as a doctor, a new one here after all, it was hardly appropriate for her to paddle around sucking on a piece of candy. On the other hand though, she really wanted to know what that thing tasted like. Almost by the elevator now, she made up her mind, wrapping her lips around the end of the candy.

Sweet mother of elephants.

She did not recall this thing being so awesomely delicious. Making a mental note to suck up just a tad to Kutner later, she pressed the button of the elevator, without removing the candy from her mouth. The doors opened a second later and she leant against the wall, letting the young men pass her, as she enjoyed her holiday treat. One of the men grinned at her, another one winked.

She didn't give a damn.

With how this thing tasted, there was nothing in the world that would make her stop. All innuendos be damned.

She entered the elevator, pressed the little pad with one on it and casually stepped towards the back of the elevator. Experience had thought her that around this time most of the oncology department ran in here. Experience of being ran into had made her smarter. So now she cautiously waited by the very back, nibbling on the candy and keeping her eyes on the doors that were sliding open.

The first face she found herself staring at definitely didn't belong to oncology.

Oh crap.

**XxXxXxXxXx **

Marissa didn't say anything.

Not a word.

She had just entered, pushed the button and then stood as far away from the doctor as physically possible. In silence. Without as much as a hello.

Not that Alex minded. Not that she even cared. It wasn't like she had hid her candy the moment she noticed the other woman looking at her. She definitely hadn't opened her mouth at least ten times by now, each time intending to say anything. She didn't feel awkward at all and she absolutely was not planning to murder the oncology guys for not being here to act as a physical block between her and Marissa.

She glanced at the tall brunette, quickly glancing away again as soon as she seemed to take notice of her gaze. Instead, she now looked at the interesting doors in front of her, trying hard to ignore the fact that Marissa smelled really friggin' good.

She exhaled louder than she had meant to and felt her heart skip a beat, when Marissa's head tilted towards her.

She hoped she would say something.

She didn't.

Her gaze hardened on the elevator doors when they passed floor 2. Unluckily for them, nobody had wanted to hitch a ride from there, leaving them by themselves. Her foot tapped against the floor on its own accord. She was so going to have to talk to someone about speeding these things up. Really, how long could it take to pass two friggin' floors?

Once again, she sensed Marissa's eyes on her. Realizing that she was still tapping her foot, looking like a nervous fool, she stopped. To be honest, up until now, she had never really understood how a silence can be deafening. She was learning now.

Marissa shifted her weight.

Immediately, Alex's head snapped towards her companion. Marissa glanced right back at her.

And then the doors opened.

Marissa was out of the elevator, before Alex even had a chance to push herself off the wall. She followed the path of the younger woman, slowly, a small pang of guilt bothering her. They couldn't even be in the same room with each other.

That was a relatively new thing for the two of them. And honestly, Alex didn't like it. She casually eyed the brunette, who stopped by the nurses' station, as she weighed her options. All of them were pretty crappy. The most obvious one, talking things out, was pretty much out of the picture. She was sure she wouldn't be able to pull it off.

It's not like she had nothing to say. She had plenty of things she would like to say, but Marissa... Well, in face-to-face encounters, Marissa seemed to overpower her sometimes. And while usually Alex was completely okay with it, often even enjoying the whole overpowering thing in... many, _many _ways, it was sometimes a lot to handle. The girl had always had a way to mess with her head; to make her think and say things she really shouldn't think and say. Thus, remembering the things she wanted to discuss, could become an issue.

Personally, Alex blamed the eyes. Seriously, who needs eyes that are so large and so damn green?

Stupid eyes.

Deep in thought, Alex didn't notice a leather clad guy heading her way, until he bumped into her. She struggled to keep her footing, annoyed when the guy just kept going without even as much as a sorry, still glued onto his cell phone.

Wait.

It's official. She truly should Google portable light bulbs and order herself one. Moments like these practically required one. Besides, if she would follow House around with it, she would probably have the chance to light it up at least once per week. It would totally be worth the investment.

Back to the subject, though.

A cell phone.

That was the dominating word in her light bulb moment. She fished out her own and quickly typed, keeping an eye on the striking brunette still at the nurses' station. When she finished, she pressed send and casually picked up a random chart by the door nearby, trying to blend into the bustling hospital life going on around her. She sneakily peeked over the edge of it, to see what Marissa would do.

After she heard the soft beep in the pocket of her jeans, Marissa excused herself from a conversation she had been having with one of the nurses and took out her phone. Immediately her eyes fell onto the unexpected name on her screen. She turned around, and of course, found Alex trying to stealthily hide from her view with a clipboard in front of her face. Curious now, she opened the message and read it. Twice, just to make sure this was real.

Alex saw the expression on her face and immediately knew that she should smack her brain somehow for thinking that this would be a good idea. The narrowed eyes and clenched jaw, which she could even see from here, did not promise anything she would enjoy. She was ready to do the next thing on her list of ways to handle this – namely flee – when her own phone beeped. As soon as she noticed Marissa still holding her own phone, her stomach flip-flopped.

She fished the phone out of her coat pocket and read the message.

Fuck.

She placed the chart back in its holder, before she could actually smack herself with it like she had planned. So much for her brilliant idea. Smothering her first instinct to flee anyways, she pocketed her left hand, her candy still in her right, lowered her head and wordlessly followed Marissa through the lobby and into a hallway.

She wasn't sure how Marissa knew which room was empty, but there they were a minute later. An empty on-call room; her by the doorway, Marissa by the bed nearby. And she did not look happy.

"A text message, Alex?"

The doctor softly shrugged her shoulders, glancing around the small room.

"It's early, I've had too much coffee. Wasn't really thinking all that straight," she murmured, before briefly skimming her eyes over the other woman. "You kinda have that effect on me."

A shadow of a smile almost appeared on Marissa's face before she wrapped her arms around herself, placing her weight on the bunk bed nearby. Then, quietly, she asked,

"What are you sorry about anyways?"

Alex's eyes closed for a moment. Damn it. This is why she didn't want to do this. What was the correct answer here? Especially considering she wasn't all so sure about what she had done wrong or what she should've done differently. Unable to come up with anything, she went with a classic.

"Everything?"

Marissa's face softened, before she shook her head at the doctor, almost sadly.

"It's not like you have anything to be sorry for. It - it wasn't a big deal."

"It wasn't?"

"Was it?"

Alex found herself looking at those damn green eyes and she averted her gaze to the wall nearby. Stupid eyes. She thought about a reply that wouldn't make her sound crazy, obsessive or a bitch, but never got the chance to use it.

"Listen, I have to meet a client," Marissa had already interpreted the loss of eye contact her own way. She cleared her throat. "And I have to ask you for a favour. You might be seeing me in a ... kind of formal setting later today and I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't look at me. I mean, you can look at me but not the way you looked at me in the elevator."

And here Alex had thought she had peeked all sneakishly. However...

"What way?"

Marissa's reaction was visible. Her eyelids fluttered, her gaze was averted. She seemed almost embarrassed, a tad bit shy even with her lip between her teeth. When she peered back at Alex, her answer was a quiet one.

"Like you've seen me naked. Often."

Of course, Alex being the charming woman she was – someone who just knew her way around the ladies – she had a dazzling reply.

"Oh."

Marissa swallowed and straightened up, smoothing out the non-existent wrinkles on her jeans.

"Yeah, so, I'm just going to go see if the client is here and ... yeah."

She stepped towards the door, hoping that the other woman would understand and step away. However, Alex didn't move.

"Hold on," the doctor frowned at her instead, keeping her casual stance and blocking the door. "If a client is meeting you here and you might be seeing me later..." Her blue eyes narrowed, suspicious. "Are you suing this hospital now?"

Marissa, admirably, didn't waver under the surprisingly strong gaze directed at her, as she responded.

"House."

"Why?"

This made the lawyer raise an eyebrow.

"Why do lawyers sue people?"

"No. Why are you suing House?" Alex crossed her hands across her chest and her brows furrowed softly. Her stance seemed to agitate the taller brunette in front of her, as Marissa shifted her weight. "I thought you didn't have any cases."

"It's a recent development."

"How recent?"

"Okay. Enough," Marissa's tone had gained an edge as well. "I don't know what kind of a weird 20-questions game you want to play, but I _really_ have to go and meet someone, so if you don't mind moving..."

She gestured towards the handle which she could not get to unless she was willing to press herself completely against the doctor and try to reach it from behind her back. And being in that kind of position with Alex Kelly was not something she was sure she could handle right now.

"Yeah, in a second," Alex's tongue slid over her lips and, secretly, she found pleasure in the way Marissa's eyes darted to them. All sort of ideas popped into her mind. After all, they were in an empty on-call room with beds, but before she could even entertain the idea of trying something, she really had to know this. "Just... does it have anything to do with us?"

Almost immediately she regretted it.

The atmosphere in the room changed. While a second ago, Alex thought she might actually be able to kiss Marissa and get away with it, then now she was worried about even saying something. The lawyer's face had gone from a little bit flustered to completely emotionless in less than a tenth of a second. The way her gaze, now cold, searched her face made her want to just hit some sort of magical rewind button.

"Really?" Marissa couldn't almost believe this. That one button, her ability as a lawyer, was something nobody should press. "That's something you think I would do?"

The doctor shook her head even before she realized she was doing it.

"That's not what I meant."

"Yes it is." Marissa's tone got icier. "You actually expect me to sue your boss as a personal vendetta. What? Is that something your other one-night-stands do?"

"Marissa..."

"Just because I come from a wealthy family and because I wasn't all that studious when I was in high school, doesn't mean I'm not a good lawyer now, Alex. That I didn't work for this. You'd think _you wo_uld get that." She breathed, before sliding a hand over her hair, agitated. "And I'd never just... because..."

Suddenly her posture changed. Her hand dropped, her gaze locked on Alex and she spoke,

"Because that_ thing_ didn't mean anything."

She was lying. She had to be.

"Don't lie to me."

"I'm not," something akin to challenge shone in those green eyes, now lit up with anger. "It was no big deal. Nothing special." She squared her jaw, looking at the spot she imagined the door handle to be. "Now, could you get out of my way?"

"That's what you're going to go with," Alex complete disregarded her request, stepping a little bit closer to the brunette, without leaving an opening for the door. "Then what was it, huh?"

"It was just sex."

She herself had spoken those countless of times. She knew those words inside and out, they were practically her motto lately. And yet hearing them from Marissa right now made her want to both hit the girl and fuck her against the wall.

She didn't even really think about it, before she walked and pushed the other girl against the bunk bed nearby. Her leg slid between those of Marissa's, her grip strong on her waist. Their breathing, which was already a little heavy because of their anger, got just a little bit heavier.

"Really?" Her jaw clenched. She was getting worked up with this. She always did with this woman. Marissa just had to go and make her do stupid things. "So what the two of us did, you do with everyone?"

"Alex..."

Marissa's soft warning did nothing to make her feel calmer; on the contrary the husky tone made her shift closer to the girl. If this is what she was going to play at, she could join in.

"So what we did on the table," her hand slowly slid on the lawyer's hip, fingering the waistband. "The way you writhed and moaned. It wasn't anything special for you?"

"Don't." But the earlier look of defiance was beginning to fade and the tone wasn't so certain anymore. Alex smirked at the response. It would seem Marissa wasn't the only one able to rile the other up in this relationship.

"Why? It's no big, right? As a matter of fact, according to you, I could fuck you right here and now, and it wouldn't mean a thing." A flush spread across the lawyer's face, as she begun to grasp the situation. Alex's fingers found the button on her jeans, as she added. "It's just sex."

She didn't get to open the button however, as two slender – but surprisingly strong – hands pushed her away.

"Fuck you."

"I was aiming for that, yes."

Joking didn't seem to be a good approach however, as Marissa's face hardened. She grabbed her purse, tugged down her top and spoke again,

"Seriously. Fuck you."

And then she left.

Alex didn't even try to stop her. Marissa Cooper was something she just couldn't seem to hold on to and once again, she wasn't sure why.

Her eyes landed on the piece of candy she had dropped when she had decided to assault her ex-girlfriend. Yet another thing she has lost.

Then again, she wasn't in the mood for sucking anything anymore.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

**A/N** – So how about that drama? I can even ruin Christmas. *Sigh* I'm ashamed too. Oh and guys, especially the ones reviewing today/yesterday – totally dedicate this to you. Sometimes I just really need that kick in the backside to get me to it ^^

**Thanks, for real,  
Daz**


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